Witness
by Individual Lies
Summary: How far must a person go to attain that which they seek to attain? What trials and tribulations must they overcome in their quest? What awaits them in the end...? Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta and reduced a proud race to a handful of survivors. Now witness their journey as they seek their vengeance against the Cold Regime. (AU) Please R/R! Disclaimer: I do NOT own DBZ
1. Witness

_Greetings,_

_This fic was based on a song called Witness by a group known as Tryad. Hence the title. Also, this story is a one-shot prequel to another fic that I have been working on for about a month now. I was listening to Witness while I was working on the other one and I had a thought…but I can't tell you my thought because then that would give away what happens in the other fic.  
_

_Also, a big thanks to __**ShadowMajin**__ for his advice and for beta reading._

_And now, without further gilding the lily, you may read on._  
_(Pssst…reviews would kick ass! Just sayin'!)_

_P.S. I noticed that my lines separating certain parts of the story vanished when I posted this, so being the stickler that I am, I decided to fix that.  
Anyway, enjoy!_

_DBZ_

**Witness**

Dodoria and his minions had been convinced that she was dead. Even Dodoria had said it: "she's just a saiya-jin female. She didn't survive."  
But they were wrong.

In their haste to kill off her team before Bardock arrived, they had underestimated her power. She had no chance of standing against the minions, let alone Dodoria himself, but she was much stronger than they were giving her credit for. In fact, the 'killing' blow that she was dealt had easily been hard enough to knock her unconscious, but it had lacked the power to end her life. So, instead of dying along with the rest of her team she, Seripa, had been left alive.

Barely, she realized, as she stumbled away from the bodies of her fallen comrades. She had awakened to the horror of finding herself lying atop the remains of her friends. She removed herself from the pile as quickly as her injured body had allowed and immediately started away from there. She didn't even cast them a backwards glance as she stumbled away. She didn't want her last memory of her friends…no, her brothers to be of them lying beaten and broken in death. She doubted any one of them would have shown grief over her death, but she grieved for them. They had been more like a family to her than her own had ever been. And knowing them, they probably wouldn't have wanted her to see their bodies in death. More out of pride than anything else, but she was happy to oblige.

So she trudged on, walking despite having multiple fractures in both of her arms and one of her legs. It was nearly impossible to put any weight on it. Her other leg was hardly in any better shape, but at least it was strong enough to support her weight partially. She had to rely on a broken rifle she found as a makeshift crutch to allow her limited movement. Every step sent pain through her body, but at least she was able to move.

She was fairly certain more than a few ribs were broken or seriously bruised. Anytime she stumbled (which she did often) fire shot up and down her sides. It also didn't help that her vision was hazy and that her head was pounding. She silently cursed the alien who had struck her. The bastard may not have killed her, but he certainly left a lasting impression in the back of her skull.  
Seripa bitterly wanted to pay him back for the pain he had caused her. As that thought ran through her head she stopped paying attention to her surroundings until her foot caught on something jutting up out of the ground. She hit the ground before she even had a chance to try and catch herself, and as soon as she hit everything went black and pain shot through her body from her head all the way to her toes.

Deciding it best to stay down for a while, she weakly turned over so that she was sitting against the thing she had tripped over. As she looked at it she realized that it was the remainder of a wall. She looked up from the wall and around to see that she was sitting in what was left of one of the Meatian's buildings.

The structures were nothing like what she was used to and before she had felt some measure of regret at destroying them without getting a chance to explore their interiors. Now that regret was replaced with disappointment as the interior of this particular building held nothing that interested her even slightly. At first glance, anyway.

It wasn't until she struggled once more to her feet did she see the blue arm jutting out of a nearby pile of rubble. She had seen only one blue alien in the last few hours and the credit for her current condition went solely to him. Carefully watching her step so as not to trip again, she hobbled on her crutches over to the pile for a closer look. It took a great amount of effort, but she managed to move some of the debris from the body. All she wanted was to see the face of the one who had tried to kill her.

When she finally saw the alien's head, a smirk appeared on Seripa's bruised and bloody face. Whoever had killed him had done well in avenging her: the entire top of his head had been crushed into a bloody crater. Looking closer she noticed that the indention looked like it was left by an elbow. Her smirk split into a grin and she winced as pain shot through her cheeks.

There was only one person she knew who specialized in elbow shots, she mused as she rubbed her bruised cheeks. She started away from that pile, stumbling still as her short break had done nothing to clear her head. The only sound in the vast silence of the dead planet was the sound of the rifle barrel hitting the ground.

Continuing on towards her spacepod, she could just make out the craters on the horizon. It would still be several hours before she reached them, she realized miserably. But she continued on and as she walked on she found a second body lying in the rubble. It didn't take much to realize that Bardock had shown up and made quick work of avenging her and the others. And since she had not seen him or Dodoria anywhere, she could only assume that either one of them had been destroyed and the other left, or both had left. She hoped that if the former was the case, that Bardock had come out the victor.

Seripa didn't stop again until she finally reached the crater her ship had left when she landed. She paused at the edge of the crater and looked down upon the small white sphere waiting for her, with the hatch still open. Breathing heavily, she swallowed and smiled weakly. She started down into the crater, but she was in no shape to be negotiating uneven terrain as she lost her footing, dropping the rifle as she did so, and went tumbling down the slope. She rolled until she hit the side of the pod, lightly bouncing off of it and falling to her back in a cloud of dust.

It took everything she had to climb into her pod. That last little fall had drained whatever strength she had left that had allowed her to travel this far. She fought against the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her as the hatch of her ship closed with a hiss.

Taking a deep breath and gritting her teeth, Seripa leaned forward with her hand outstretched towards the computer console on the hatch. Her hand was hovering over the console when she finally lost the battle against the darkness. Her violet eyes closed and her hand dropped onto the console as she slumped forward in her seat.

The computer lit up and the pod came to life. Within moments her ship was flying full speed away from that forsaken planet and towards Planet Vegeta.

_DBZ_

Everything that had happened since she left Planet Meat was hazy. Seripa remembered looking out of the window of her pod's hatch and seeing Frieza's ship in orbit. She remembered killing her pod to keep it from being picked up on radar. She remembered the fight that took place in the atmosphere of her home planet. She remembered the elation at seeing Bardock plowing through some of Frieza's strongest minions. She also remembered beating weakly on the glass of the hatch, screaming in horror at the top of her lungs as the massive ball of death descended upon her world. She remembered, all too vividly, watching her planet fall apart and explode before her eyes. She also remembered that the explosion had sent her pod rolling and tumbling through the blackness of space.

After the blast had sent her flying and tumbling, she had curled up in the floor of her pod. It wasn't much space, but she was a small person so she was able to fit relatively comfortably. Of course, Seripa didn't care much about comfort as she just laid there, the spacepod careening out of control through the darkness of space. She didn't even care that her pod was drifting aimlessly through space. She didn't care about anything, to be honest…

_  
DBZ_

It was a long time before the ship's stabilizers kicked in. Seripa was mildly surprised, but she dismissed it quickly. She figured that she must've powered the ship on at some point without realizing it.

From where she was still curled up in the floor of the pod, she heard the engine hum, and felt the ship start to vibrate as it tumbled through the void. She could almost picture the red energy as it burst to life about the ship, attempting to correct its course.

She stayed curled up in the floor for a little longer, before finally deciding that she needed to be piloting the ship.

Groaning weakly, she lifted her head to peer out of the window on the hatch. She rested her forehead against the red-tinted glass, and let out a sigh that fogged up the glass. As it slowly cleared up, she looked at her reflection and into the violet eyes staring back at her. She held her own gaze for several moments before looking at the rest of her reflection, taking in for the first time her appearance. Her face was caked in dried blood and she couldn't find a single spot that wasn't black and blue from bruising. Her right eye was puffy and swollen and a deeper shade of purple than she'd ever seen before. Looking from her beaten face to her armor she found that her armor was damaged beyond repair. The sturdy material had been cracked and crushed in places, and whole sections were missing from her abdomen and her lower back. The pink elastic suit she had worn under the armor barely concealed anything below her waist, and only remained on her upper body beneath what was left of her armor.

Seripa stared numbly at her own reflection before the ache of disturbing her injuries brought her out of her daze. She looked past her reflection and into the blackness of space to see the stars flashing by before her eyes. The ship was still spinning, but it was visibly slowing.

She sank back down into the floor, but now that she had moved she was uncomfortable. Both of her legs were severely injured and one even had multiple fractures, so she had fire slowly tracing its way up from her feet. She grumbled to herself as she weakly pulled herself into the seat of her ship, which sent fire through her arms when she put weight on them. She had briefly forgotten that they, too, had multiple fractures. By the time she was comfortable, the ship had finally stopped spinning and was shooting aimlessly through the vacuum of space. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back in her seat wanting only to slip back into the comfort of unconsciousness…

_"Never shoot aimlessly."_

Her violet eyes shot open…and she winced. She had jerked straight and it had pulled uncomfortably against her bruised and broken ribs. She rubbed her side as she thought about the words Bardock had left her with. She frowned to herself for a moment before sighing, deciding finally that she needed direction.

Ignoring the pain that consumed her entire being, she leaned to her computer console, and with but a moment's hesitation, she began to clumsily type coordinates into the computer. Due to her injuries it took several attempts, but finally she was able to enter the coordinates. As the ship's direction altered, she sat back and pulled her legs into the seat, biting her bottom lip as they all but screamed in protest. She curled up feebly against the back cushion, and closed her eyes wearily.

She had never felt so powerless, Seripa reflected miserably. Right before her eyes her entire planet, her civilization, was destroyed. Her family, her friends, her comrades; they were all gone. They were all reduced to nothing more than space dust in a matter of seconds. It was ridiculous how easily Frieza had ended her peoples' lives. And it all left an emptiness in her that she was all too aware of.

But that emptiness was nothing compared to the way she had felt as she watched Bardock standing valiantly against Frieza…only to be easily defeated. His pained expression of horror as a sphere of death flew towards him was the last image she had of him in life. Once the sphere reached him and Frieza's minions in the atmosphere the blinding light consumed them, concealing them from her sight.

In life, Bardock had been such an inspiration to her. When she enlisted into Frieza's military he had taken her in and let her join his crew when no one else would. He was a strict taskmaster and demanded nothing but the best of his team, and she strived her best to deliver. He must have seen some potential in her, because it was not long after she joined the crew that he started pushing her harder than the others during training. More than once he had left her knocking on death's door. But she persevered, just as she suspected he knew she would.

It was hard work and it left her fatigued at the end of every day, but she never resented Bardock for it. Instead, his harsh training instilled in her a sense of respect for him. It also gave her direction and drive. It gave her the urge to be better than what she was capable of. So, she pushed herself. She trained and trained until she couldn't train anymore. Whenever they went on missions she made it a point of fighting alone and taking no help, even if she was becoming dangerously overwhelmed. She pushed herself as far as her body allowed in each battle, while the others watched from the sidelines as she fought for her life.

Seripa remembered the first time she had become overwhelmed and she had cried out for help as she was being beaten and knocked around by several enemies with power readings close to hers. She had been 13 at the time, still more child than anything. It had happened in her first year of enlistment, during her very first battle. She remembered being knocked through a wall and landing within yards of Bardock and the others. She had struggled to her knees and reached out to them, pleading for help. Rather than help her, Bardock instead grinned fiercely at her. She was stunned by that reaction and did not see the next attack come at her from the aliens. In the end, she somehow managed to overcome her enemies without the help of the others. But it left her broken and near death and unable to stand. But it also made her realize what Bardock wanted from her: determination. He wanted her to never give up in a battle, no matter the situation. He wanted her to fight with everything she had until there was nothing left to give. He wanted her to be determined to be stronger and better than she was before.

She had pushed herself beyond her limits and had nearly broken her body in every battle since then. And as a result, it was no surprise to her when her power reading started to grow exponentially. She watched with pride as her power rose and rose and her siblings grew more and more jealous. The day she saw that her reading had reached an even 1,000 was a joyous day for her: she had finally surpassed both of her parents and her siblings. She was well on her way to being a warrior Elite. That future was in her grasp, so long as she stuck with Bardock and his team.

But that was all over now.

She was all alone in the universe; the last of her kind, Seripa thought miserably. And it had all ended at the hands of Frieza with one massive ball of death. The thought of that little lizard being responsible for the destruction of her entire race left a bitter taste in her mouth. It also made her want to rip him apart, but she knew that desire was out of her reach. She had never dreamed in all her life that she would ever surpass her own father, let alone ever challenge Frieza. She had heard the rumors of the magnitude of his power and today she had been able to witness it firsthand. Bardock had been extraordinarily powerful for a lower class saiya-jin, but not even he had had the power to destroy an entire planet with just a flick of his fingertip. She had never once been able to land a punch on Bardock in their sparring sessions, which never surprised her since the last time it had been measured, his power reading had been 7200. She shuddered as she thought of the power reading it must take to destroy an entire planet so easily. She would never be able to stand against a force like that.

"_Givin' up already? I should've expected as much from _scum_." _

Seripa's blood-shot, violet eyes opened slowly and she starred expressionlessly at the far wall of her pod. Those words were the first words she heard from Bardock during their first meeting. When she was delivered to his training quarters for the first time he had attacked her without provocation and had proceeded to beat her to a bloody pulp. When she was no longer able to stand, Bardock had cursed and turned away from her, uttering those words as he left her to pass out on the bloodstained mat. But she didn't pass out. Instead, she weakly climbed to her feet and faced him.

"_S-scum? I-I'll show y-you sc-scum!"_

She closed her eyes and smiled sadly as she pictured the young girl she used to be charging a much younger Bardock, only to have him disappear and reappear in an instant right before her, and backhand her across the mat.

"_That's more like it. Stand again."_

She opened her eyes again, dispelling the images of past memories. She frowned as she thought about Bardock. If he could see her now he would probably beat her into a senseless pulp for giving up. She felt a momentary sense of relief that he was dead and she was not. If she had died, too, then he would have probably beat her into a senseless pulp once he found her in Hell. The relief suddenly turned into disgust as she realized how weak she was. She was going to just give up after all Bardock had done for her? After Bardock had stood against Frieza, despite being at a serious disadvantage in power? He had probably known that his power was nothing compared to Frieza's and yet he had flown headlong into battle, standing against the lizard alone.

Bardock would never have given up or let her give up like this, she realized angrily. She couldn't give up just because she had been beaten. What was it Bardock had always said?

"'I'm made of tougher stuff than you are.'" Seripa murmured under her breath. That had been his catchphrase, so to speak.

But when their team started breaking records left and right, anytime someone asked Bardock how his team of lower class saiya-jin had been doing the impossible, he would proudly and arrogantly declare: "Me and my team are made of tougher stuff than you are."

And he was right, she realized as she sat up straight in her seat, slowly stretching out her aching legs. She may be a lower class saiya-jin, but damn it she was still a saiya-jin! And she had been a part of the team that had caused Frieza enough fear to destroy her entire race. That thought brought a smirk to her bruised lips. She thought back on all the missions her and the others had been on. Many of them had been missions that Frieza's Elite had turned down due to the difficulty. But they, a small band of saiya-jin, had triumphed every time! And each time they came back seriously injured, their power reading was always greater during their next missions.

Frieza had destroyed everything she had ever known. She had to pay him back somehow. Thinking realistically she doubted that she would ever defeat him alone, but she could always resist him. She could maybe even find someone strong enough to help her. Surely there was someone else in this universe with power comparable to Frieza's? Or maybe she could become the Legendary Super Saiya-jin? That last thought made her chuckle quietly. She winced at the pain that chuckling caused her and smiled slightly.

Leaning back in her seat with a sigh, Seripa closed her eyes again. She might not ever kill Frieza, but she would not let Bardock or the rest of her team down. She would never give up again. She would stand against the lizard and challenge him to best of her abilities and then some. She owed at least that much to her comrades. As well as to Frieza and his minions.

But first things first: she had to pay a visit to a rejuvenation chamber and an extremely hot bath.

_DBZ_

_(Hope you enjoyed it. And again, reviews would kick ass. Just sayin'!)_


	2. Loyalty

_Well, I have to be honest. I didn't really expect to be continuing this story over my other one, but I also did not expect to receive the attention that I did. So…as of this chapter this story is officially underway.  
Since I had only intended for _Witness_ to be a one-shot, I am still working out the story details, but I know where I plan to go with Seripa's character and to get her to the point she needs to be at in my next story…well, I guess we need to follow her as she begins her new life. Also, as far as I'm concerned the English name 'Fasha' does not exist. I do not think it should have ever been chosen as a substitute for Seripa.  
And now, without further tickling your fancy, I present to you…Chapter two._

_ Individual Lies_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**DBZ**_

Beep.

Seripa twitched in her sleep and her brow furrowed.

Beep.

She twisted around in the seat of her pod, shifting her position as she struggled to find a comfortable position…

Beep.

…which was proving annoyingly difficult since every time she started to adjust to her comfortable position-

Beep

-and began slipping into unconsciousness.-

Beep

-her damned computer had to send out an alert.

Beep

With a groan she straightened out in her seat, wincing as her bruised and sore muscles stretched and moved for the first time in several hours. As she leaned carefully back in the seat she rubbed her hands over her face bringing herself to full alertness.

She looked at her computer just as it sent another alert and she growled at it. Too bad it wasn't organic, she mused. Most living beings ran from a growling saiya-jin. The beeping intruded into her thoughts once more and she frowned as she leaned forward weakly to deactivate the alert system…But she froze when she saw on the monitor that the computer had been alerting her to another ship that was tailing her. Frowning, she quickly brought the offending ship up on display…and felt her blood turn to ice.

She was being tailed by an Ice-jin cruiser. And not just any cruiser, she realized with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She was being followed by _an Imperial Cruiser!_

Seripa did her best to ignore the fear that gathered in the pit of her stomach as she tracked the ship's movements as quickly as she could, given she was still grievously injured. She blinked in surprise when it was revealed that the ship was travelling at the same speed as hers. She was sure that they were chasing or following her. A frown overtook her features as she bit into her lower lip, her dark brows knitted together in thought.

Beeeeep!

She winced and covered her ears weakly as the computer signaled a hailing frequency from the Imperial Cruiser. She dug her teeth deeper into her bottom lip as she debated with herself over whether or not to answer the call. She took a deep breath and decided to go ahead an answer it. She couldn't show fear to the Cold Empire. Especially not now.

She took another breath and put on her toughest expression, doing her best to ignore the way her frowns pulled the bruised skin and muscles of her face, and opened up a channel with the ship.

The unexpected face of another saiya-jin female made her gasp out audibly.

While she gaped in surprise the woman smirked, tilting her head back just a little bit. It was difficult to say, but she didn't appear to be much bigger than Seripa was. She had thick, shaggy hair that hung around her face, down to her shoulders and she had midnight eyes, so deep they seemed black instead of blue. Seripa couldn't see the armor she wore as the image displayed only her face.

_"Sister saiya-jin, it is fortunate that we have found you first. Cooler and Cold have both been through this quadrant several times in recent weeks."_

"Thank you for finding me, Sister. I am in serious need of medical treatment." She took a breath and leaned her head back against her seat, closing her eyes. "I have not eaten in days…" she all but breathed out.

_"Guide your ship to the next closest planet and we will recover you there. You may join our group and receive whatever you need."_

Seripa opened her eyes and looked to the computer screen. "I am Seripa, and I graciously accept your offer. How large is your group?"

The woman's expression grew dark on the screen and she looked down.

_"I am Colli and there were more than fifty of us to begin with, but…" _she trailed off, her gaze still averted downwards. _"Three days of 'galactic cleansing' later, and this group is less than twenty now." _ She said darkly, the bitterness dripping off of every word.

"Dammit." She cursed low under her breath as she envisioned dozens of saiya-jin being mercilessly wiped out by Frieza's cronies. She could almost see the faces of those saiya-jin as they fought and died left and right…and she was reminded, painfully, once more of her fallen comrades.

She looked up to the screen sharply. "Who is your leader and what is his power reading?"

The other woman glanced off screen, then she stepped back allowing another saiya-jin to step into view, this one a male with short black hair that was sticking out in all directions, and scars running over both eyes at opposite angles.

_"I am. My name is Caul. As for my power reading…" _ the man smirked and folded his arms across his broad chest, making Seripa roll her eyes. _"I am sure it is higher than yours by far: 1200."_

Seripa snorted and leaned back in her seat. "Mine is 1600. I will meet you at the next planet." She cut the feed while the man was still in shock from hearing her own power reading.

_Feh. Surprised at my reading? What would he have done had he heard Bardock's? _she wondered as she altered the course her computer had laid out for her. She sighed as she typed in the last coordinate and leaned back in her seat once more, the ship shuddering as its direction altered. Within seconds a large blue and red planet loomed into her view. She was surprised. She hadn't realized that she was so close to a hospitable planet. Oh well. She would land in a few minutes and then be in a rejuvenation chamber within the hour. That, alone, was enough to bring a smile to her lips and sleep to her fatigued mind…

Even if it was only for ten minutes, her power nap gave her the energy she needed to climb out of her ship after its landing and up the gangplank of the awaiting ship. She hadn't expected anyone to meet her for assistance, but was grateful to find three saiya-jin (one female and two males) awaiting her at the top of the ramp. She limped her way towards them, peeling her destroyed armor off and tossing it by her ship. As she tossed it, a glint of light caught her attention and her eyes were drawn to her wrist. She stared down at the I.D. bracelet that had her name, her power reading, and her serial number burned into the metal.

A sudden wind kicked up, blowing dust up all around them. Seripa looked out towards her ship as the sudden sandstorm threatened to swallow it up, and tore the bracelet from her arm.

"That life is over," she said as she held her arm up. "Time to start a new one." She threw the bracelet towards the abandoned space pod, and turned and limped the rest of the way up the ramp. She made it to the top before she collapsed from exhaustion, one of the saiya-jin males catching her easily.

She was immediately placed into a rejuvenation tank and was left alone.

_**DBZ**_

_"Bardock?"_

_ A sigh._

_ "What is it, Seripa?"_

_ "Will you look at me?"_

_ Another sigh and grumbling as a man with wildly spiked hair sat up from where he was laying in a patch of red grass. He looked across from his patch of grass and to a young girl sitting atop a boulder that was twice her height. High above her the sky was a swirling mix of black and orange with the occasional green cloud floating by. They were surrounded on all sides by trees that stretched up for hundreds of feet, enshrouding them in shadowy darkness._

_ "Are you happy now?" snapped Bardock as he absently dug his finger into his right ear, closing his eyes in annoyance. His left ear was covered with a green-lensed scouter. After several long seconds of silence, he opened his eyes and looked back at the girl. He gave an annoyed sigh when he saw her sulking atop the rock._

_ "What do you want, Seripa?"_

_ The girl lifted her downcast violet eyes and looked at him, trying her best to hide the apprehension she felt. She couldn't hold his fierce gaze, and eventually lowered her eyes again._

_ "A-am I progressing?"_

_ "Feh, is that it?" He threw himself back down on the grass._

_ "Come on, Bardock, be serious. H-have I gotten stronger?"_

_ "Hm," Bardock closed his eyes as he thought it over. "The last time we sparred you didn't seem any better."_

_ "..Oh." _

_ He opened one eye and looked up at Seripa, watching her shoulders sag and her head droop. He rolled his one open eye and shook his head . _

_ "Female saiya-jin have no place being warriors if they're just going to sulk and mope around." He sat up, opening both eyes as he looked straight at her. "What's it matter if you've gotten better if you can't tell yourself?"_

_ "It's nice to have a second opinion," Seripa mumbled, lowering her head til her chin was resting against the chest plate of her armor._

_ "You've got no one but yourself to decide your opinions, Seripa. I can't decide them, Toma can't decide them, Borgos can't decide them, and Shugesh sure as hell can't decide his own, let alone yours. Whether you've gotten any better don't matter to no one but yourself." He fell to his back, his hands behind his head._

_ The girl looked down-_

_ "And stop that lookin' down shit. Keep your eyes up all the time."_

_ She quickly snapped her gaze up, leveling it on him. She actually did think she had gotten better, but she wanted verification of that fact. She should have known better than to ask Bardock for his opinion. He was as cold and without emotion as ever. She sighed and lay back on the boulder, looking up at the star-filled sky._

_ "By the way, that reminds me." Said Bardock, suddenly. "You did well on Vaanil. Much better than you did on Zizap. I also noted that you're still making amateur mistakes. Watch it."_

_ Seripa sat up in a flash and looked at Bardock, her eyes wide. Four years she had suffered under his training and leadership and this was the first time he had ever even come close to complimenting her. Not that she had ever expected it, but it was still surprising. She smiled towards him and lay back on her rock._

_ "So, when's our next mission?"_

_ "We leave tomorrow."_

_ "Good."_

_ Silence filled the clearing._

_ Then…_

_ "Bardock?"_

_ "Grr…what is it _this _time, Seripa?"_

_ "Thanks."_

_**DBZ**_

Reluctantly leaving behind her memory, Seripa opened her eyes to the sound of the mechanical whirring that accompanied the opening door of the rejuvenation chamber, to find her body completely healed and completely naked. She rolled her eyes and pulled the black and silver oxygen mask from her face, taking a deep breath of fresh air. She hated these chambers. She always felt like she needed a shower after spending time in one, even though the liquid she had been submerged in was possibly the cleanest substance in existence. It was designed to heal a broken body, after all.

She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but based on the extent of her injuries she was sure it had to have been a week at the least. Until she stepped out of the rejuvenation tank she had been placed in and saw which model it was: it was a model designed specifically for use on the Imperial Cruisers for the high-powered warriors that the Cold family kept on hand at all times. They frequently took on some nasty opponents so it was necessary to have only the best on the fancy Cruisers. Also, the Cold family did not like being without their strongest on hand for so long. It made them feel vulnerable. She shook her head, shaking away the thoughts of the Cold regime. She could worry about that later.

She turned away from the chamber and noticed that someone had had enough foresight to scrounge up some armor for her. It wasn't anything like her old single-strapped chest piece, but it would be fine. She picked the armor up and examined it closely. It was an older model with the shoulder guards that extended outwards and was black and gold. The blue jumpsuit that had been laid out for her was much more modest than her old, but more practical suit. Where her old suit had concealed her private areas and nothing else, allowing for free, unrestricted movement, the old suit covered her whole body from the neck down. It wasn't to her liking, but she could deal.

As she pulled on her new armor, she eyed the machine and deduced that she had been in there less than three days. Once her armor was situated and straight, she looked down at a small readout and smiled at the time it read. She had been right in assuming that, as she had been in the tank for just 2 and one half days. As she stared at it she thought about how Bardock would have been completely healed much faster. Thinking of him, she was reminded of her dream.

"Damn Ice-jins have to have the best, right?"

Seripa glanced across the room, her thoughts interrupted by the sudden appearance of a teenage boy leaning in the doorway, with his arms folded across his armor. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He had thick black hair that stuck up in multiple directions, identical to the way Bardock's hair had been. In fact…the boy looked just like Bardock. All the way down to the style of armor he was wearing (though his was red and white, instead.)

"You-"

"Turles," he interrupted. He straightened up, unfolding his arms as he did. "So, you're Seripa, hm?" He crossed the room, looking her over as he did so.

"What of it?" Seripa asked sharply. She frowned as the young man paused just a few feet from her.

"You knew my brother."

"Bardock was your brother?"

Turles folded his arms again and looked away. "Father bragged about Bardock until his dying breath."

She frowned at the way he said it. He had spoken with no emotion in his voice, not even bitterness.

"And yet," He glanced back at her, his face devoid of all expression, "he is not here, is he? The oh-so-great Bardock is dead, while his younger, much weaker, brother lives. As well as the weakest member of his team." He sneered down at her, while she struggled to grasp what had just been said.

Seripa couldn't believe that this boy could have possibly been related to Bardock. Sure, he was cold and ruthless but he was a warrior. This boy…he had no respect for his brother. Dead or alive, it seemed.

"What? You're not going to say something in his defense?" Turles scoffed and looked away again. "I guess you're weaker than I thou-"

SMACK!

The boy's face snapped in the opposite direction, the imprint of a small, but powerful, hand covering his cheek. He touched one gloved hand to the side of his face and looked at her sharply.

Seripa had not lowered her hand after slapping him. She was still holding it up, but she had balled it into a tight fist as she glared up at the taller boy.

"Listen here, you little brat." She seethed from behind clenched teeth. "If you ever, and I mean _ever_ speak of Bardock in that manner again, then I will personally make certain that you _never _have the opportunity to become a man."

Turles stared down at her in stunned silence, his eyes as wide as they could possibly go. He had not expected her to threaten him, let alone slap him! But he wasn't going to take it. His eyes narrowed as the hand he had held to his cheek slowly balled into a fist.

"You whore," he spat out venomously.

Seripa's left eyebrow twitched.

Turles never saw it coming as her fist shot out so fast it was nothing but a blur, and struck him soundly in his exposed stomach. The force was enough to send him sailing backwards and out the door he had entered and into the wall across the hall, caving the metal in and sending a violent shudder through the whole of the ship.

As Seripa lowered her trembling fist and straightened up, she took a breath. She hadn't meant to put so much force behind that punch. Okay, so maybe she had, but she hadn't expected her own strength to be so great. Her power reading had to have increased greatly to produce a result like that.

"Huh? What happened here?" A woman wearing white and gold armor over a full-bodied yellow jumpsuit stepped through the doorway, glancing back at Turles still imbedded in the wall. She was a few inches taller than Seripa, had dark green hair that was shorter than Seripa's, coal black eyes, and a scar that ran horizontally below her eyes and across the bridge of her small nose. A white scouter with a blue lens adorned her face, as well.

"I just taught a brat a lesson," Seripa replied coolly as she glanced at the woman.

She smirked and glanced at teenaged saiya-jin in the hallway as he pulled himself from the indented wall.

"Yes, Turles has an attitude problem. But we've learned to ignore him." The woman looked back at her, her smirk fading. "You see, his entire team was wiped out recently. We found him on an empty planet surrounded by the bodies of his team."

Seripa frowned and looked past her at Turles, but he had already left. "No wonder he is bitter. But why does he have so little respect for Bardock?"

The woman frowned. "Bardock? Oh, his brother? That, I do not know. Anyway, my name is Amotto. Caul would like to see you on the bridge immediately."

She nodded in response. "Okay. Hey, would you mind checking my power reading?"

Amotto smiled and nodded. She pressed a button on her scouter and it beeped to life. Her eyes widened and she whistled.

"Wow. Your reading is higher than 2300." She deactivated the scouter and stepped aside as Seripa started into the hallway. "That makes you the strongest on the ship."

Seripa looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes. Caul did have the highest, which is why he was made the leader." She smirked and glanced at the slightly shorter woman. "Some of us have been thinking about making you the leader since you told Caul your reading was 1600."

"No thanks." She frowned and looked forward as they walked down the darkened hallway. She looked up towards the lights and saw that most of them were either broken or off. "What happened there?"

Amotto followed her gaze. "Ah. We had to fight for this ship and we are still repairing the damage it sustained in the attack. Our supplies are limited, after all, and Caul is wary about docking at any space stations." She sighed and shook her head. "We need someone who will actually lead us instead of sitting on the bridge and throwing his weight around."

"What about you?" asked Seripa. She followed Amotto when she turned into an open elevator.

As the doors closed, the other woman shrugged. "I don't have a high enough reading for anyone to want me to lead. It's only 850."

Seripa snorted, "Power readings only matter on the battlefield, Amotto." She paused and glanced at the other woman. "So am I right to assume that your group has no plan?"

"Unfortunately," the taller woman grumbled. "All we have done since Vegeta was destroyed is drift around space."

"How long has it been?" Seripa asked as the doors slid open and they stepped out into another hallway.

Amotto stopped and looked at her in surprise. "Wait, you don't know?"

Seripa stopped, too.

"I know the day it was destroyed. I was there." She added in a quiet voice. She was silent for a moment before continuing. "I drifted through space for a while before I became aware of what happened and powered my ship back on. I don't know how long my ship was traveling before I met you. I was in and out of stasis the entire time."

"Oh, wow. Vegeta was destroyed more than two weeks ago."

Seripa sighed and started walking again, Amotto falling into step with her. "That sounds about right, I guess."

Amotto was silent as she turned into a doorway, Seripa following her, and onto the bridge. She continued straight on to the center of the bridge where Caul was seated in the throne usually reserved for a member of the Cold regime. On either side of him sat two other men, one of them the one who had caught Seripa when she passed out.

The two women paused before Caul who looked immediately to Seripa.

He was silent as he stared at her. As his eyes looked her over, she felt her skin crawl. She didn't like people, especially men, looking at her for too long. She had dealt with that enough when she first enlisted.

"Hm. You don't look like much. Is your power reading really 1600?" Caul finally asked.

Seripa smiled slightly and shrugged. "No, it is not."

"That's what I thou-"

"It's over 2300, now." She grinned as a look of surprise came over the man's face. "Check it with your scouter if you don't believe me."

Caul, who was not wearing a scouter, waved a hand at the man to his left. He stood up and quickly activated his scouter. The look of surprise and his silence was all the answer that Caul needed.

He glared at her as she continued to grin fiercely at him. Suddenly he grinned, too, making hers vanish in surprise.

"With that kind of power you are more than suited to be my mate." He said coolly, his tone smooth and coaxing.

Seripa scoffed and frowned, "There is nothing appealing about that offer." At her side she heard Amotto snicker.

Caul's grin faded and he glared at Amotto, who was still snickering. "Something funny, Amotto?" When she immediately straightened up, her snickering ceasing, he smirked. He turned his gaze back to Seripa, to see her all but glaring at him. "What?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, taking a step closer to him. "What are your intentions regarding the survival of our race?" Might as well skip the annoying "pleasantries" and get right to the point.

Caul had clearly not expected that question as he stared at her in open-mouthed surprise. He closed his mouth and quickly pulled himself together.

"You just leave that to me, Woman." He said loudly, standing so that he could tower over her. His chest swelled with his bravado. Everyone on deck knew she could knock him around the ship easily.

Seripa looked up at him calmly. "Just as I thought," she smirked and cocked her head to the side lightly. "You're just up there playing the leader. You have no plans to ensure our survival. Which is just as well," she continued as Caul opened his mouth to protest. "You couldn't possibly lead us against any of Frieza's men."

"What does Frieza have to do with this?"

Seripa glowered at him. "Are you so stupid to believe that Frieza will let us drift around in peace?" Her tone was acid as she snapped at him. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw the dawning of realization in his eyes.

"You _must_ be kidding me." She exclaimed. "You seriously thought that Frieza would leave you be? That lizard destroyed our world! He ordered Dodoria and his men to kill my team!" she ignored the collective gasp of surprise behind her.

She stepped closer to Caul making him step back and sit down heavily in his throne, so now she was towering over him. "You are too fucking stupid to be leading our people. Step down now or I will force you down."

"Oh yeah?" Caul struggled to regain his composure. He stood back up, but she wouldn't move back so he was left in an awkward stance. "There's no way you could face all three of us!" he declared, his bravery returning as he indicated the two at his sides.

Seripa quirked a brow and looked to his left and then to his right. She smirked and looked back at him. "I think you're flying solo for this."

He frowned and glanced to his sides to find that both of his next in command had abandoned him. He looked back to her, sweat drops beading on his forehead and neck.

"You can step down or fight. Your choice, Caul." She folded her arms across her chest and awaited his response.

Caul stared down at her and gulped. Any self-respecting saiya-jin knew the proper response was to fight back. He could try and fight her to maintain his leadership, but the outcome didn't help his ultimate plan. Sure, holding a leadership position helped, in the long run it didn't really matter if he was a leader or a grunt. Only _the plan_ mattered. His gaze shifted from hers and over her shoulder. He looked right at Turles, who seemed to have appeared some time ago. He was leaning in the arched doorway that led to the circular hallway of the ship, with his arms crossed and his gaze firmly fixated on the back of Seripa's head.

Oh, so the plan was about to change.

"Fine, I will step down." He bowed his head and stepped aside, backing away from the throne and kneeling down. He lowered his head as much as he could, doing his best to hide the murderous grin that had appeared on his face. He looked to his left just in time see Turles stand up straight and march to the female saiya-jin.

Seripa frowned when she saw Caul look sideways. Was he grinning? She followed his gaze, turning around in time to see a rather large fist flying at her face. With no time to block or counter, she took the punch to her cheek. She was thrown violently backward into the thick metallic throne. It was bolted to the floor rather firmly she realized when it didn't give under her weight, jarring her roughly as she came to a violent halt. She looked up at Turles as he held his hands apart from one another.

"Fuck you and fuck Bardock! You can join him in hell!" A ring of golden ki appeared between his palms. The air around his body wavered with raw ki as he charged up the attack.

Seripa jumped out of the throne and to her feet, taking a defensive stance as scouters all around the bridge came to life.

"Kill Driver!" Turles shouted as he extended his hands toward Seripa. He grinned and suddenly threw his arms up, aiming the attack towards the ceiling of the ship. "Fire!" The blast rocketed away from his body and slammed into the roof.

_**DBZ**_

___(Ooh, a cliffhanger…Sorry, I couldn't resist. Like I mentioned at the start of this chapter I am still working out the story details, so bear with me. As you will have no doubt noticed, I am jumping into the action early on. Don't worry, there is still more to come. I am also open to suggestions. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews would kick ass.)_


	3. Falling

**Individual Lies, here.  
Thanks to all that reviewed. I appreciate the reviews and I will do my best to keep you entertained. I have much more in store, so stick around for the ride. **  
**Also, as I mentioned in the first chapter this story is a prequel. Well, not anymore. I'm having such a surge of ideas for this story, that I have ultimately decided to change the direction of my original story and merge it with this one. Let's see how it turns out, hm?  
And now to your reviews:  
Emissary of Despair: Yea, I had originally planned to jump forward a bit further. But I wanted to show some of Seripa's earlier experiences immediately following the destruction of her race. And of course she's going to be thrust immediately into danger, because doesn't danger seem to seek saiya-jin out like a heat-seeking missile?  
StephanG: I have something along those lines planned, so don't you worry. I have some interesting ideas in store for everyone.  
I also would like to mention that my language tends to get vulgar during certain scenes, so if you happen to have a weak constitution regarding those sorts of things...you have been warned.  
Again, everyone thank you for reviewing. And now, without further adieu, I give you...**

_**Chapter 3: Falling**_

The explosion ripped the roof open, and in a flash the bridge was chaos as everything and anyone that wasn't bolted down was sucked out into the blackness of space.

Seripa flung herself at the throne and clung tightly to it, struggling against the violent storm that raged all around her. Beside her, Amotto, who had lunged for the throne the same time she did, desperately struggled to keep her grip on the slick surface of the throne.

"Hold on, Amotto!" Seripa called to her over the roar of the vacuum. Quickly she looked around the bridge. Many of the occupants were in the same position as them, she noticed. She also noticed, much to her irritation, that Turles and Caul were nowhere to be seen. No matter, she would find them eventually. And she was going to enjoy the torment she planned to inflict upon them for putting her in this situation.

A faint mechanical grinding caught her attention and she looked across the bridge to see the arched doorway slowly closing. Seripa knew instantly that if they did not get off the bridge before those doors closed, they would all die. Looking around again she remembered that she had the highest power reading on the ship. And luckily it was high enough for her to manage against the force of the vacuum. But she had to act fast.

Quickly summoning her ki, she released her hold on the throne and slammed her feet firmly on the floor. She wheeled her arms forward as the force of the suction threatened to overpower her. Quickly she flared her ki, pushing backwards with it to propel herself forward. She misjudged how much power she needed and ended falling forward to her knees, but she had succeeded in offsetting the pull of the vacuum. She quickly looked around and counted seven more occupants of the bridge, other than Amotto and herself.

Casting a quick glance at the slowly closing doors, Seripa steeled herself and summoned every bit of her strength, crying out as a light violet aura flared to life around her. She blasted off across the bridge and towards the pilot, Colli. She slammed violently into the wall beside the control console, jamming her fists hard enough into the wall to leave indentions for her to hold onto.

"Come on!"

"No!" cried Colli as she desperately clung to the console with one hand, her other one typing furiously across her keyboard.

"No, come on! We have to get off the bridge!"

"No!" Colli repeated. She glanced at Seripa with a pained expression. "If I leave the bridge then we will all die! I have to stay and guide the ship to safety!"

Seripa's eyes widened and her aura vanished from her body as she realized the logic behind her words. The ship was crippled. That meant that the auto pilot was temporarily disabled, leaving the ship to be piloted manually. It was a safety feature installed in every ship of the Cold regime, to minimize deaths via crash. The disabling of the auto-pilot ensured that the ship would not ever be stuck in auto-pilot. In this case, however, piloting the ship manually meant the death of one very brave pilot. It was either that, or everyone aboard the ship would die in a horrendous crash.

Colli smiled slightly as Seripa nodded her understanding. They were so few, but they had to survive this ordeal. If her death would ensure the survival of the Saiya-jin race, then Seripa had to let Colli go through with this.

"I will make sure that the ship survives intact!"

Seripa nodded and her aura flared to life again. She glanced across the bridge and pushed away from the wall, shooting across the expanse to grab two men by the collar of their armor, just as they both lost their grips. Without pausing she flipped around, jostling the men, and shot towards the doorway, dropping them to safety before heading back for two more. It took her less than ten seconds to rescue everyone.

Well, everyone save for Colli.

As Seripa hovered in the center of the bridge, she quickly cast one last glance around the room to make sure everyone had been saved. Her face was covered with perspiration as her aura burned viciously around her body, her ki burning intensely as she struggled against the vacuum. By this point she was breathing heavily. She glanced at the doorway to see that it was mere feet from closing completely.

Grimacing, she looked to where Colli still struggled to pilot the ship. She was reluctant to leave her, but she knew that this was the way it had to be. Spinning around in mid air, she shot towards the opening. By the time she reached the doorway, she had to angle her body around to fly through sideways. She immediately came to a screeching halt, and spun around just in time to see the doors close with a dull thud. Her aura vanished and she dropped to her feet, her chest heaving with each heavy breath she took.

"Wait, what about Colli?" asked one of the men.

Seripa straightened up and glanced at the man sharply. "Colli sacrificed herself to ensure the survival of the last of the saiya-jin. Let us repay this noble sacrifice by destroying Turles and Caul!"

"Right!" said Amotto, stepping to her side. "We must make them pay for this treachery!"

This statement was well received as everyone nodded and then took off in separate directions to search the ship for the two traitorous saiya-jin.

Seripa and Amotto ran side by side with both of Caul's former next-in-commands following behind them. They each looked into every room as they ran by them, but they were met with frustration as each room proved to be empty.

"Dammit!" Seripa cursed as she threw open a door and tore up the stairway to the next level of the ship. As she emerged onto the next level, the ship suddenly shuddered, causing her and the others to pause.

The taller of the two men frowned. His eyes were coal black and his black hair had been sheared close to his head. He looked across at Seripa.

"What was th-?" he never finished his question as a blast tore the floor open at his feet and vaporized him and his partner instantly.

Seripa and Amotto dropped back into defensive positions as Turles hovered up through the smoke wafting up from the newly created hole, a metal box cradled under his right arm. He landed before the two women, glancing between them in disdain.

"You are in my way. Move." He made a shooing motion with his other hand, a grin appearing on his face.

"You don't honestly think you can stand against me, let alone the both of us, do you?" Seripa queried, raising a brow at the grin on his face.

Turles chuckled. "My power reading is 1400. Far less than yours, I know. But trust me, bitch, very soon there won't be a being in the universe that will be able to stand against me!"

"Big words. Can you back them up?"

"If I must."

"Trust me, you must."

"Fine." Turles grinned and opened the box in his arms. The ship shuddered, causing him to drop the box, but not before he had snagged whatever was in it. The box clanked loudly at his feet as he held up a burnt-orange, spiked fruit in his gloved hand.

"This is the fruit of the Tree of Might." He proudly declared.

The two women exchanged questioning glances, before looking back at him.

Still grinning he brought the fruit to his lips and took a big bite of it, chewing nosily on the apparently juicy fruit. Juices dribbled down his chin, a smile plastered across his face as he swallowed the fruit. He closed his eyes and crushed the remainder of the fruit in his hand, as his muscles constricted and his tendons and veins bulged almost out of his skin.

Both Seripa's and Amotto's scouters came to life, the numbers counting off rapidly.

Seripa stared at the readout in visible shock. Turles' power reading had just soared past hers and was rapidly approaching 2800. At the rate the numbers were climbing, she just knew his power reading would be well over 3000. How was this possible? How was his strength increasing so drastically just from taking a bite of a piece of fruit?

All of a sudden the numbers began to climb faster, shooting way past 3000 and causing both of women to gasp in surprise. Before either scouter could give an accurate reading, they both exploded causing both women to wince as the pieces dropped to the floor, smoking and sizzling. They stared down at their busted scouters, before they slowly looked back to Turles.

His eyes were open now and he was grinning maniacally at them.

"I picked that fruit up on planet Entide."

"That's the planet we rescued you from!" gasped Amotto, her eyes widening.

He chuckled. "You didn't rescue me. I had been tracking your ship long before you arrived. I could have left any time I wanted, but I didn't have the room in my spacepod to store the fruit."

"Oh no…"

Seripa glanced at Amotto, a brow raised. "What is it?"

The other woman looked at her quickly, the fear in her eyes evident. "Before we left Entide, we loaded the ship down with supplies that Turles had gathered in exchange for a ride." She glanced back to the teenaged saiya-jin. "Those 'supplies' you gathered…it's all just this fruit, isn't it?"

Turles laughed out loud at this. "Afraid so!"

"You arrogant little..!" Seripa suddenly lunged forward, moving at her highest speed to catch Turles unawares. She thrust her fist towards his grinning face-

-but her fist connected with a gloved hand that appeared in front of his face. She couldn't help but stare on, her eyes wide open in surprise.

She barely had time to register what had happened before his free fist met her face and she was sent flying backwards. She landed on her back and immediately rolled back to her feet, skidding backwards from the momentum her body still carried. Before she could stop completely her aura flared around her body, and she shot back towards him at full speed.

Turles phased out of sight long before she reached him. He reappeared a split second later right in front of her, holding his left arm out in front of her. Her eyes widened as the arm slammed into her face, and her feet traveled forward, causing her to flip around and land hard on her back.

She scrambled quickly to her feet and put as much distance between herself and Turles as she could. She stood in a defensive position about fifteen feet from him. Just behind him, Amotto was frozen in terror as she could only stare on at Turles and Seripa.

Making a mental note to do some training with Amotto, Seripa brought one hand up, palm facing towards Turles.

"You are one stubborn bitch, I'll give you that." Turles chuckled as he started walking towards her.

She narrowed her eyes at him and pink ki began to crackle to life in her palm. He kept walking towards her, so she pushed more ki towards her palm, causing a pink ball of light to appear.

"You and I both know that ain't gonna hurt me, Seripa." He stopped less than a foot from her outstretched hand.

"Probably not," she agreed, but she kept her hand up nonetheless. "Why are you doing this?"

"I thought you would have at least guessed it by now," he laughed and folded his arms across his chest.

"Sorry to disappoint," was Seripa's quick response. Actually, she had her own theory as to why he was doing all of this, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"Well, I'm tired of living in Bardock's shadow."

"What's it matter? He's dead now."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"The point is, this fruit was originally meant for Bardock. Our father, who was also my team captain, discovered this fruit while we were clearing out Entide. He had always been proud of the strength that my brother had attained. So proud, that he wanted him to be the best of all. So after finding out what the fruit did, he collected several pieces to bring back for my brother to have all to himself."

"Your team was dead when we arrived," said Amotto, quietly.

Turles grinned and glanced over his shoulder at her. "Yes, that's right."

"So you killed your father and your team and stole the fruit?" asked Seripa, an obvious edge in her tone.

"That's right." He repeated as he returned his gaze to her, that grin still plastered across his face.

Seripa's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed as she stared at Bardock's younger brother. He didn't deserve that honor, she thought. She wanted to blast that smug look right off of his face, but she knew there was no chance that she could beat him. She was mildly surprised to realize that that fact didn't bother her. She didn't want to die, of course. There was still so much that she wanted to do…no, _needed_ to do. But if she did die this day then she would die proud and without fear, just like Bardock had.

Her eyes were drawn to Amotto, who was still standing behind Turles. If only she could get Amotto to distract him…

Almost as if she read her mind, Amotto lifted her hands and began to charge an attack.

Seripa quickly returned her gaze to Turles.

"You're powerful, but you're still _nothing_ compared to Bardock."

Turles' grin faded and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You could be ten thousand times stronger than Bardock, and you would _still _be nothing compared to him. He will always be better than you."

"Shut your mouth, Bitch!" Turles snapped, his arms unfolding and dropping to his sides with his fists clenched tightly. "You don't know anything! I am better than Bardock! _He_ is nothing compared to _me_!"

"Hey Turles!"

"What?" he spun around angrily and a large blue ball of ki exploded in his face, enveloping everything in a bright flash.

Shielding her eyes, Seripa threw her arm around and fired her blast into the wall. In the same instant she flared her aura around her body and shot towards Amotto, grabbing her just as her blast blew the side of the ship open.

Turles didn't have time to prepare for the sudden vacuum and he was sucked towards the opening. Flipping around in midair he grabbed one side of the opening , clinging tightly for his life.

"You bitch! I'll kill you!"

Seripa flew towards an elevator and threw Amotto inside, before turning to glare at him. She watched as he struggled against the vacuum. She was having an incredibly difficult time keeping herself from being pulled towards the opening. But she knew that any second Turles could gather his strength and easily overcome the pull.

A mechanical grinding caught her attention and she looked up to see a large metal door descending from the roof, preparing to seal off the damaged section of the ship. She looked back at Turles just as he was beginning to pull himself back on board the ship.

"No, Turles. Today you die." She quickly brought up both hands and fired a pink blast right at him.

Distracted with trying to save himself, Turles didn't see the blast until it was almost too late. Holding on tight to the hull of the ship with one hand, his other came up to catch the menacing blast.

"AAAARRRGGHH! I will kill you!" he screamed, his voice distorted with rage.

"Dammit! Get off the ship!"

Seripa poured as much energy into the blast as she could spare, sending a bulging ripple through it that slammed violently into his palm. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it was enough to shake his hold.

As he finally lost his grip, Turles let out a howl of rage and fired a blast right at her. It shot under the metallic door and right at her. The blue beam engulfed her vision and then darkness was all she knew…

_**DBZ**_

_"So you were beaten by Turles?"_

_Seripa's eyes shot open and she quickly climbed to her feet and looked all around her, but all she could see in all directions was a blinding expanse of white. _

_"Geeze, you look like shit, too."_

_She spun around again, but still she saw nothing. Frowning at the statement she looked down at her body and saw that her brand new armor had been all but destroyed. Both shoulder guards had been blown off and the blue jumpsuit was torn in multiple areas. Her bare skin was blackened and bloody. Well, that was certainly an all-too-familiar sight. She sighed and lifted her gaze to look around again. But still, all she saw was the whiteness._

_"Anyone there?"_

_"But of course. And don't bother lookin' for me." The voice added when she started to look around. "You won't see me unless I show myself."_

_"Then show yourself, dammit!" Seripa said through clenched teeth. She was already in a bad mood and she didn't need some disembodied voice grinding on her last nerves._

_Laughter echoed all around her and she clenched her jaw tightly. _

_"Fine, I will." Bardock suddenly appeared in front of her wearing his familiar black and green armor and with his arms folded across his chest._

_"Bardock!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening. "What are you doing here?"_

_"Don't ask me. This is _your_ dream." He said with a slight smirk._

_She starred at him for a moment, then lunged at him and threw her arms around him. She almost jumped when she felt his arms unfold and then wrap around her._

_Seripa laughed quietly as she pressed her forehead against his armored chest, her eyes closed tightly._

_"This must be a dream…you would never hug me back in person."_

_"Yeah, you're right. Seripa…"_

_She opened her eyes and looked up at him to see him looking down at her._

_"I'm dead, ain't I?" she asked quietly._

_"No, you're not. You can't die, yet. That's why I'm here: to tell you that you can't die."_

_"That's easy for you to say. I'm all alone now, Bardock. Without you or Toma, or Borgos, or even Shugesh. I'm just alone." She looked down when her voice began to break and she closed her eyes against the tears that had begun to well up on their own. Why did she have to cry in front of Bardock, of all people?_

_Her eyes shot open when she felt him press a kiss to her forehead and she looked up at him in wide-eyed surprise._

_He smirked at the look on her face and lifted a hand to lightly wipe away her tears._

_"This is a dream, Seripa. And that was what you wanted, right?"_

_"Yes, but…"_

_"'But'?"_

_She bit her bottom lip and looked down slowly._

_"But the real Bardock wouldn't have done it."_

_Bardock suddenly shoved her back and folded his arms, a stern expression coming over his features._

_"That's right. I wouldn't, would I?"_

_Seripa stared at him in silence for a moment, then smiled slightly._

_"No, you wouldn't. I miss you, Bardock."_

_The stern look in his eyes faded and he smirked again. _

_"I know, Seripa. But your destiny stretches much further than mine did. My time has come and gone and now it is time for you to take what you learnt from me, and use it to avenge your people. And ensure the survival of the last of the saiya-jin. We are too few, now."_

_"Yeah, thanks to Frieza."_

_She sat down on the white floor with a huff, and pulled her knees to her chest._

_"I don't know what to do, Bardock."_

_She nearly jumped out of her skin when he suddenly appeared laying beside her on his back, his hands behind his head._

_"That's simple: kill Frieza."_

_"Simple to you, maybe. You're dead!"_

_Bardock chuckled and looked over at her._

_"You worry too much."_

_Seripa quirked a brow as she regarded her mentor._

_"Since when did you become so carefree?"_

_"Eh, dying has a way of changing people."_

_"Wait, I thought this was a dream?"_

_"It is."_

_"So, wouldn't that mean you are just a figment of my imagination?"_

_"Maybe. I don't know really. I feel real enough. Hell, for all I know I feel real because you want me to be real."_

_He sat up and twisted to face her._

_"If that's the case, then you need to let me go."_

_Her eyes widened again. "Let you go? What do you mean?"_

_"You're holding onto my memory. I'm here because I am your memory of Bardock. I am as your remember me, right?"_

_She looked away and lowered her gaze before nodding slowly._

_"Exactly as I will always remember you."_

_"Good."_

_"Bardock?"_

_"What?"_

_"I'm proud of you."_

_"Huh?" He tilted his head slightly, frowning in confusion. "Why are you proud of me?"_

_"I…I watched you fight Frieza. You fought amazingly…just as you always do." She smiled sadly and looked back up at him. "Watching you die was hard, but you died in battle."_

_Bardock looked down at the white floor beneath them and fell silent._

_The silence stretched on with them sitting side by side. _

_"So, is there anything else you need to tell me?"_

_"No. I've said all I needed to tell you. Oh!" he turned to face her again. "Listen, regardless of whether or not I am real don't forget this dream. Don't ever forget what you set out to do. You were trained by me never to give up, right?"_

_"Right."_

_"Don't you dare come to hell and tell me you gave up, got it?"_

_She laughed quietly and looked back at him._

_"Okay, Bardock. I won't give up."_

_"Good. Now wake up."_

_**DBZ**_

"Seripa wake up! You can't die! Wake up!"

"Unnh…" slowly Seripa opened her eyes and blinked them several times trying to clear away the blurriness. She looked up to see Amotto kneeling over her, her concern etched into her features. She cast a glance around to see that they were still in the hallway.

"You're alive!"

"Ugh, of course I am." She made to sit up, but her head started to spin and her body cried out in protest, making her fall to her back again. She brought a hand to her face and covered her eyes.

"I miss anything?"

"Well, the ship landed…er…crash-landed anyhow."

Seripa moved her hand and looked up at the other woman. "Crash-landed? Colli said she'd make sure the ship made it in one piece."

"Other than being banged up, the ship is fine. It will fly again after a few repairs."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Well, there is one more thing." Her tone made Seripa frown.

"What is it?"

"It's Turles…He didn't die."

"What?" Seripa sat up quickly, completely ignoring the pain and the dizziness. She climbed to her feet as quickly as she could, wincing as she did. Pieces of her armor cracked and fell away to the floor of the ship.

Amotto stood up and grab Seripa's shoulders to support her.

"Get off." She brushed Amotto's hands away and started forward, immediately falling to her knees in weakness, breathing heavily. She looked back up at Amotto to see her hand outstretched to her. With a sigh she took the proffered hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"This is bull shit."

"It could be worse," Amotto said as she slid one of Seripa's arms around her neck, and slid her own arm about the woman's waist, just above where her tail was wrapped.

"Oh yeah? How?"

"You could be dead."

She mumbled something under her breath about Amotto's 'damned logic,' as she allowed the other woman to assist her down the hallway.

"So who's take over leadership?"

"Well, we were still hoping that you would take that role."

Seripa glanced at her and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm not leadership material."

"You led everyone against Turles and C aul."

"No, they followed you after you joined me, Amotto. Where is Caul, anyway?"

Amotto shrugged as she paused outside of an elevator. The doors opened and she helped Seripa inside, the doors closing once they were completely clear of them.

"Dunno, to be honest. After Turles' initial attack I never saw him again. No one has reported killing him, so I guess we assume he's alive and hiding or he's escaped the ship."

"Damn. Now how do you know Turles is alive?"

The doors opened and they stepped out into the lower level and started towards the bridge.

"As the ship was descending to the surface of this world several of the others saw him race past us. He was flying plenty fast enough to have reached the surface before he needed oxygen."

"Bastard," Seripa cursed in irritation. She had been certain that the vacuum of space would have killed him for sure. Apparently he was stronger than she was giving him credit for. "Where is he?"

"Again, dunno. I have four guards stationed atop the ship, watching all four directions. They have orders to alert us if they see anything or anyone."

Seripa chuckled under her breath.

Amotto glanced at her and raised a green brow. "What's funny?"

"You are a born leader, Amotto. You should be the one leading our people in their survival."

"Why won't you do it, Seripa?"

She was silent for a moment and Amotto stopped walking, staring at her companion in confusion. Seripa was forced to stop with her.

"Because I plan to kill Frieza one day." She ignored Amotto's exclamation of 'what?' and continued spreaking. "I can't have such responsibilities, responsibilities that don't interest me in the least, weighing me down in the mission. I owe it to my team and our people," _and Bardock_, she added silently. If anything, she did all of this for him most all.

"How do you plan to kill Frieza, Seripa?"

"I don't know," she admitted sourly. "I haven't really had much of a chance to think about it recently. But for the two weeks I was drifting around in and out of stasis…that was all I thought about. I know for a fact I'm nowhere near his strength." Before Amotto could ask how she knew, she continued. "I was there for the destruction of the planet. I arrived just in time to watch that fuckin' lizard flick his _finger_ and destroy our people. The invincible saiya-jin were taken out with a lazy flick of his _gods-damned finger._" By the time she was finished speaking, she was seething.

Beside her Amotto just stared on in silence. She wasn't really sure what to say to that. She had been on another planet when it all took place. Of course she and the others had had to fight their way to freedom, but hearing about your planet's destruction was definitely a long ways off from actually witnessing the destruction.

After a few moments Seripa closed her eyes and sighed. "I was the weakest member of my team, Amotto. My power reading may seem high to you, but my crewmates were much stronger. Shugesh's power reading was 3100; Borgos' was 3400; Toma's was 6000 even; and Bardock's…" she trailed off as she frowned. It had been such a long time since anyone had checked his reading that she knew the last one she remembered was nowhere near accurate. She smiled and sighed again, shaking her head.

"I don't honestly know what Bardock's was, but if I had to guess it was easily well over 10,000."

Amotto whistled at that. "I'd heard rumors that despite being born a lower class saiya-jin, he had moved up through the ranks pretty quickly."

"Yeah, that's right. He was my captain and my mentor," _but also so much more_, she found herself adding silently. "His…his captain demanded nothing but the very best from him and the rest of his team."

"I heard Bardock was that way, too."

"Oh, believe me, he was." Seripa said with a laugh. She winced and grabbed her ribs, rubbing them gently. "But he always claimed that compared to his mentor, he was soft on all of us." She grinned and glanced at Amotto again. "Did you ever see what Bardock looked like?"

"I saw him once in passing. Why?"

"You saw the scar on his left cheek?"

"Yeah. I remember wondering how he got it."

"His mentor, Tettuce, gave it to him."

Amotto's eyes shot open wide. "Tettuce was his mentor?" she all but shrieked.

Seripa laughed again and nodded. "Yes, Tettuce."

"Tettuce, the Exile? The Insane? The-"

"Harbinger of Doom, the Hand of Fate, etc, etc. Yes, the one and the same."

Amotto could only stare at her friend in open-mouthed shock. After a few moments she shook her head and then started walking again.

"So you were trained by Bardock, who was trained by Tettuce. Wow. Simply, wow."

The other woman chuckled quietly, wincing in pain as the action caused her ribs and abdomen to hurt. Turles may not have hit her with a killing blow, but he did manage to do quite the number on her.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, I never got to meet Tettuce before he was exiled. But if what Bardock said was true, then I am glad that I never met him."

"I'd imagine you would be." Amotto said in a tone that denoted a new level of respect for the warrior-woman.

All saiya-jin (male and female) were born and bred to fight. Amotto loved a good fight herself, but she preferred using her brains over her brawn for some reason. There were few other saiya-jin born like her; most considered them worthless genetic anomalies. But if not for saiya-jin like her, then they would never have progressed technologically. Of course, their invention of the scouters and the natural strength they possessed had drawn the curious eye of Frieza, leading to the whole treaty between the saiya-jin and the lizard tyrant. The treaty that Frieza had ended in blood.

The two women reached the bridge to find half a dozen men and women moving about the room making repairs here and there. The hole that Turles had created in the ceiling was still gaping at them, revealing the red-hued clouds high in the sky.

Seripa paused halfway into the room, forcing Amotto to pause as well. She stared up at the sky, frowning ever so slightly.

"Do we know what planet this is?"

"Lessbru scanned the planet once we were able to get onto the bridge-"

"Damn, just how long was I out for?" interrupted Seripa.

"About an hour," Amotto answered, before continuing. "Anyway, he scanned the planet and it's a mostly dead planet that the natives (the few there are anyway) call Mother."

"'Mother'?" Seripa asked dubiously.

"Yeah. I should probably point out that they are a primitive species. To them, we are probably the equivalent of gods."

"Ah." She looked around the bridge slowly, watching the men and women move about busily. "How long before the ship is ready to fly again?"

"A day or two, I think. Turles landed on the other side of the planet, and thankfully this planet is massive so it will take him two days at the least to reach us. If we calculated his power correctly, that is." Amotto added quickly.

Seripa nodded absently. She had heard her, but she was starting to get really tired. And she also didn't like the fact that her blackened wounds were still oozing blood. She wasn't severely injured (how, she had no idea) but she was in enough discomfort to want to be in a rejuvenation chamber very quickly.

"Okay…Amotto, I'll make a deal with you. I will act as leader until our paths separate, but then I want you to take over. No," Seripa lifted her other hand to stop her. "Amotto, you have the qualities to lead our people and they already know you far better than they know me. Besides, wherever you plan to go I do not plan to go with you."

"Why not? Do you really intend to try and kill Frieza?"

She nodded firmly, but with a sigh. "Yeah, I do. I know it's probably suicide to attempt such a thing, but I have to at least try. I will never be able to live in peace knowing that I did not at least do that much."

Amotto was silent as she regarded her new friend. She looked down, then immediately back up at her with a smile.

"You are a very brave woman, Seripa. You will always have my respect."

Closing her eyes, Seripa slumped suddenly against Amotto. Her strength was leaving her rapidly now. Maybe Turles had hurt her worse than she thought.

Feeling Amotto tense under her, she smiled weakly and opened one eye. "Don't worry, I'm alive." She laughed quietly. "But could you get me to a rejuvenation chamber? I feel like shit."

_**DBZ**_

**_(A.N.: How'd ya'll like this one? Ha. I asked ya'll a question so now ya'll have to review...please? Pretty please?...I'll take a maybe. lol Anyway, as usual R/R please!)_**


	4. Conflict

_(Hey there people. First off I just wanted to say thanks to those that reviewed. To those that didn't…it's cool. You'll come around. Also, I would like to give a big thanks to _**Shadowmajin**_ for beta-reading. In fact, he has beta'd every chapter I've posted. Anyway, without further stalling for time…(unimaginative, I know) I present to you…)_

_**Chapter Four: Conflict**_

"_Your people; enemy. My people's hated enemy.  
What are you, enemy? Though a created enemy.  
Terminate the enemy. Eradicate the hated enemy."  
Disturbed: Conflict_

"Lady Seripa, I'm picking up an incoming ship."

Seripa sighed from where she was sitting in the throne on the bridge.

"You don't have to call me 'lady,' Lessbru." She stood up and walked over to where he was staring intently at a screen on his computer console.

Nearly four days had passed and there was still no sign of Turles. The ship was able to fly again, but they were still trying to repair the hole she had blown in the side of the hull. They had been making great time in the repairs when the natives decided they didn't want them on their planet anymore and had attacked. They were easily driven away, but they had also severely damaged some of their equipment and tools so they were left to devise an alternative way to repair the outer hull.

Which was easier said than done with the crew Seripa was working with.

She found herself regretting taking the role of leader, even if it was just a temporary title. Seripa had spent most of her life following orders, and none of it giving them. Until now, anyway. She found it difficult to set tasks for the group to do, as most questioned their orders and screwed up even the most simple of tasks. The group just did not have the respect for her as they did Amotto. This was what Seripa had wanted her friend to notice, but so far she seemed oblivious to the fact.

Or she was pretending to be and skirting the responsibilities of being a leader.

That was entirely possible, Seripa thought as she looked over Lessbru's shoulder. It was a monumental role to take on, especially given that it was highly likely they were the last of their kind anywhere in the universe.

"Any information on the ship?"

"No," responded Lessbru. He was an average-sized saiya-jin male, standing just under a foot taller than her. He had a thick head of dark blue (almost black) hair that he had tied back in a spiked ponytail down his back. His eyes were just as black as most of the males' were.

"Well, what can you tell me?" she asked, her violet eyes leaving the radar to look at him.

He frowned and shrugged as his hands worked furiously across the console.

"Hm. I can't tell if it's an enemy or not. I'm working on getting a visual, but the ship is out of short-range scanner range so it may take a while."

Seripa's gaze returned to the radar and she nodded. "Take your time and don't rush. Make sure you find out as much about the ship as possible. Have you tried opening a communication channel with them?"

"Yes. Right before I told you about it I was trying to establish communication with them, but they're either ignoring our signal…" he frowned and tore his gaze from the console and looked at her. "Or…I don't know, really. I can't think of any reason why they haven't responded, yet."

"Damn. Let's hope they're not coming to help Turles. Keep trying to establish contact and let me know if you find out anything."

"Yes, m'lady."

"Stop that!" she snapped suddenly. She sighed when he flinched. "I'm not a member of the royal family, so just call me 'Seripa.'"

He nodded and returned his gaze to the console, returning to his work.

Seripa turned and left the bridge. She needed some air, she realized. Acting as leader was beginning to take a toll on her nerves and she needed to calm down. The last thing she needed was for her mind to be clouded with annoyance if Turles ever attacked them. She knew he would, especially since they still had the crates of fruit he had loaded onto the ship.

At first she thought about destroyed the crates, but she decided to leave them as bait. She wanted Turles to come to the ship because the ship was fully armed. If he got within shooting range then the gunners had orders to shoot him on sight. She wasn't sure if the ship's energy cannons were powerful enough to kill him, but she figured they would at least discourage him from wanting to get any closer. That was assuming they saw him coming. But she didn't think he was smart enough to try and sneak up on them, especially given his newfound strength. She was hoping that he had become so confident in his new power that he would forego caution and come at them head on. That was her hope, anyway.

Seripa descended the ramp and stepped down on the dry black sand of the dead planet known as Mother. She felt the perspiration that almost instantly appeared on her face. The air of the planet was hot and dry, and it made her throat dry up almost instantly. She stepped out from beneath the circular cruiser and out of the force field that protected the ship from the fierce wind of the massive desert they had landed in. Her short hair was tousled by the wind as she stared out into the distance.

"Hey, Seripa!" came a voice from above her.

Looking up she saw Amotto standing atop the ship with a group of two women and two men. She hovered into the air and touched down lightly before them.

"What is it?"

"I just spoke with Broco. He's finished the report you asked for."

"He's already tallied up the known survivors?" Seripa asked, her eyes widening and her tone giving away her surprise. She hadn't expected him to finish so quickly when she had him begin the report the day before.

"Yeah. It's a pathetic number but I expect it'll grow in the coming years."

"That's good. How did he finish it so fast?" she queried.

Amotto grinned. "It seems Broco is very talented with satellites and computers. He hacked into Frieza's main database using the supercomputer on the bridge and from there he said it was easy as hell." She chuckled, shaking her head. "He also managed to find out that Frieza has allowed Prince Vegeta, his bodyguard Nappa, and a cadet named Raditz-"

__"Raditz?" interrupted Seripa as she looked at her friend sharply.

Amotto's grin faded into a frown of confusion. "Yeah, I believe that's the name he said. Why?"

The shorter, but much more powerful, woman frowned. "We have to free him. Raditz is Bardock's son."

"Whoa, really? Bardock had a son?"

She only nodded before looking away. She was silent for a few moments as she stared out at the horizon, the wind blowing through her hair.

"He actually had two sons," she said so quietly that Amotto barely heard her.

The green-haired woman frowned as she regarded her silent friend. "I'm guessing the other didn't survive?"

"No. He was killed before the planet exploded." Seripa bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes.

"What happened?" Amotto questioned gently, before realizing that the other four had gathered closer to the two of them. "Hey, back off!" she snapped at them. They immediately retreated to the four corners of the ship. She returned her gaze to her friend. She could tell that there was something she wasn't saying and apparently didn't want to say around too many people.

Seripa smiled slightly and opened her eyes, looking towards the other woman. "He was too weak. King Vegeta's law was final, you know." She tried to laugh, but it came out choked. She sighed and looked down. "He was scheduled to die while I was on Planet Meat."

"What was his name?"

Sighing again, she looked out towards the horizon. "His name was…" she trailed off, something in the distance catching her attention. She narrowed her eyes and lifted a hand to activate her red-lensed scouter.

Symbols flashed across the glass and she frowned at the power reading that appeared. "1200." Looking to Amotto, she raised an eyebrow slightly. "That was Caul's reading, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. You think it's him, though?" Amotto activated her own scouter and frowned at the symbols flashing on the blue lens.

"I don't know. I was beginning to think that maybe Turles had killed him in space."

"It might be someone or something else." Amotto pointed out, glancing sideways at Seripa.

_"Seripa."_

Seripa frowned at the voice coming through her scouter. She pressed and held a button further to the back of the scouter. "What is it, Lessbru?"

_"Whoever is in that ship has jammed our signal and increased their speed. Estimated time of arrival is soon. Probably within the next couple of hours."_

"Shit. Okay, I'll be there in a minute." She released the button and sighed, glancing back to Amotto.

"There's a ship coming this way?" her friend asked, her apprehension apparent in her tone.

"Yeah, unfortunately." She moved to jump off the ship, but Amotto grabbed her arm. She looked at her curiously. "What's wrong?" she frowned at the blatantly fearful expression the other woman wore.

"What if it's Frieza?"

Seripa's frown deepened. She hadn't thought about that. But then again she also didn't think Frieza himself would hunt down such a small and weak group.

"Well, if it is Frieza…then we will fight him until we can fight no more."

"I don't know if I can." Amotto looked away in shame, letting go of Seripa's arm. "You've seen me fight. I'm no warrior."

"Warrior or not, remember this: no matter what you're a saiya-jin first and foremost. I don't expect any of us to survive a fight with him right now, but I do expect everyone to give everything they've got against him."

Amotto was silent. She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. Finally she spoke in a shakey voice.

"I…I will do my best."

Seripa smiled slightly, her normally intense gaze softening a bit, and touched her friend's shoulder. "That's all I ask, Amotto. Don't worry. I'll be there to watch your back, okay?"

She sighed and opened her eyes, looking back to the other woman with a small smile. "Okay."

Nodding to her, Seripa turned and jumped down to the ground and walked back into the ship. As she made her way to the bridge she couldn't help but think about how she used to be. She remembered being as timid as Amotto was when it came to fighting. It was just a natural trait that came about when one was surrounded by much stronger warriors. Her own power reading had barely been above 300 when she had first met Bardock. Now all these years later her reading was so much higher thanks to her mentor.

She paused in the hallway, frowning as she lifted her gaze to the ceiling. A few people busy with repairs down the hall from her looked up at her, but then went back to work. She ignored them as she thought to herself about the task that lay before her. She earnestly desired to defeat Frieza, but she was admittedly at a loss as to how she was going to manage such a feat. She had been trained by Bardock under some of the harshest conditions and her power had grown considerably as a result. But the training she had done for so many years just wasn't going to cut it if she planned to kill Frieza.

Plus, she wasn't even sure if going after him alone was such a good idea. She didn't like the idea of having someone else tagging along with her, but she also didn't like the odds that were clearly against her. And it was just beginning to dawn on her that in order for her to be able to beat Frieza, she would have to grow stronger than Bardock had been.

She felt her heart sink almost to her toes. There was no way she could do it. It had taken her ten years to reach the level she was currently at. And Bardock had trained for nearly twenty to get where he had been. How did she expect to become stronger than him when she was just barely stronger than any of the others aboard the ship?

Lowering her gaze from the ceiling, she sighed and started walking again.

"I can't even beat that bastard Turles and I expect to one day kill Frieza? What the hell am I thinkin'," she mumbled sourly as she walked onto the bridge. Casting a quick glance around, she saw that she and Lessbru were the only occupants.

She paused at his side, looking down at the console in from front of him.

"Anything else happen?"

Lessbru cast a brief glance her way then immediately returned his gaze to the screen.

"Yeah," Seripa quirked a brow at how weak his voice sounded. Like he was straining to speak.

"Well, what is it?"

He swallowed and glanced back up at her, "The long-range scouters detected the power readings of everyone on that ship. The vast majority of them have readings lower than yours, but there are two that are significantly higher than yours."

She tensed at his words and stared down at him evenly. Slowly and keeping her voice even and calm, she asked, "How high?"

He turned his gaze to the console, frowning slightly as he brought up the readings. "One is about as powerful as we calculated Turles' power to be, so it's over 9000***. The other…" he trailed off, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his voice. Finally he continued, his voice trembling slightly, "the other is over 20,000."

Seripa's heart, which was already in her toes, instantly melted away. After being injured by Turles she had had to spend a few hours in the rejuvenation chamber and as a result her power had risen again to over 3000. Even though it seemed high to her and the other twelve saiya-jin aboard the ship, it paled in comparison to that reading.

"20,000," she murmured. "We all better start prayin' and hope that whoever that reading belongs to is an ally."

"Considering our recent luck, I don't think the odds are stacked in our favor, Seripa." Lessbru commented sourly.

She furrowed her brow and her violet eyes flickered in his direction. "You better hope you're wrong, then." And with that she turned and started off the bridge. "Prepare the ship for take-off. We may not be capable of spaceflight, yet, but we can at least find a better place to hide than a damned desert." She hurried off the bridge and back outside to where Amotto still stood watch with the four posted guards.

"Everyone, get aboard the ship," Seripa said as she landed in front of them.

Amotto frowned, "What's wrong?" she had been sitting on the hull, but stood as soon as she saw her friend ascending over the rim of the ship.

"Lessbru scanned the power readings of those aboard the approaching ship and there are two that could cause us some serious problems. We're going to hide the ship before they arrive."

"Nothing is going right for us, is it?"

"Apparently not." Seripa remarked dryly.

Amotto opened her mouth to respond, but her eyes suddenly widened. Just as she lifted her arm to point behind her, Seripa's scouter came to life.

"5000?" she exclaimed as she whipped around.

Turles' fist met her face in a downward strike, smashing her scouter and sending her face-first into the ship. The impact dented the hull in, and she recoiled violently from the hit, blood spraying from her nose and mouth.

_Fuckin' asshole _Seripa thought wearily as she struggled to push herself up. The others were frozen in terror as Turles stood over her laughing low.

"And the bitch is down after one hit!"

She struggled to her feet, wiping her gloved hand across her face in an attempt to clean off some of the blood. She only succeeded in smearing it across her face.

"How'd you come up on us without setting off our scouters?" she demanded, putting more courage behind her words than she felt.

"Easy. I approached on foot, suppressing my power. Then a quick burst of speed and BAM, took you down before you even realized I was here."

Seripa silently cursed herself for underestimating Turles. He was clearly much smarter than she had originally thought, and then she didn't really think he was much smarter than a rock.

"And now I'm going to kill all of you, take my fruit and be on my way off this dead rock."

"Ain't gonna happen."

"What's that," he raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. He had to hear this.

"That ain't gonna happen, Turles. You may be stronger and faster and all that, but I am a veteran warrior. You're still just a novice," she practically spit out at him, hoping to set him off again so he'd act recklessly.

He merely grinned, "Yeah, maybe. But you don't know what you're up against here, bitch. That reading you got right before I hit you was nothing compared to what I'm really capable of." He paused, his grin fading as a thoughtful look came over his face.

After a moment he grinned again and chuckled, "I'll tell you what: I'll show you what you're up against before I kill you."

"HAAH!" cried a deep voice from behind him. He didn't even turn as a deep crimson blast exploded against his back, sending his hair whipping about violently and engulfing him in smoke.

A man dropped down beside her. He was a tall (easily towering over her) burly man lacking any hair on his head. He had a thick goatee and an ugly scar where his left eye had been. His single midnight blue eye was in a glare, as he watched the smoke tensely.

"Broco, get back!" Seripa snapped at the man almost angrily. "You can't stand against him!"

The man glanced at her and gave her a grim smile. "No point in backin' off now. He'll kill us all eventually, anyway. I'd rather go down fightin' than tryin' to run."

She glared at him but she silenced her argument. She knew there was no point in distracting herself with arguing. He had already made up his mind, that much was clear. If he was going to fight with her, then she needed to be on guard.

Turles began laughing and she snapped her gaze back to him as the smoke was blown away by an unseen force.

"Etapa!"

One of the women behind Seripa let out a gasp.

Without waiting for a response, Turles continued, "What model scouter are you wearing?" his grin seemed to broaden and his eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

Etapa gulped. She was thankful at least that he wasn't looking at her. "Uhm, it's one of the newer models," she said quietly and clearly.

"Good. Get ready to check my power." He lifted into the air and floated up a good ways from them. "Wouldn't want to accidentally kill any of you when I unleash my power." He laughed aloud and took a tensed stance, his arms held up at his sides with his fists tightly clenched.

Without warning a blue aura burst to life around Turles' body and a shockwave of unadulterated power slammed violently against everyone atop the ship. Seripa braced herself against it, pushing back with her ki as hard as she could to keep from being swept away. Behind her she heard Amotto and the others cry out as they were blown back. With the exception of Etapa, she noticed out of the corner of her eye. Beside her Broco was struggling more than she was, but he had steeled himself just in time so he wasn't going anywhere.

"What's his power?" she called out to Etapa.

"I don't know! My scouter is malfunctioning!" she exclaimed in response, the fear in her voice drowned out by Turles who had suddenly started crying out at the top of his lungs.

Seripa felt the sweat pouring down her face and mixing with the warm blood still on her face. Her violet eyes were set in a shaky glare as she could only look on in horror as the brat's power continued to skyrocket. Maybe he hadn't been overstating his power, afterall.

He suddenly began laughing, his blue aura still roaring around his body. He looked down at them and grinned manically.

"Well? Where am I right now?"

Glancing over her shoulder briefly, Seripa saw Etapa looking at her expectantly, almost as if she were asking for permission. Growling under her breath she snapped out, "What's his damn power?"

Flinching, Etapa returned her own violet eyes to Turles, "I…The scouter is broken."

"Probably a good thing." Seripa murmured as she returned her gaze to him. Behind her she heard the other four, Amotto included, land behind her. Followed closely by multiple others. The others from inside the ship had finally joined the fight.

"That's a shame!"

Turles roared with laughter, and she felt Broco tense up beside her.

"We'll just have to see how strong I am the old fashioned way!" he laughed again and then another shockwave exploded from his body as he cried out again, his power climbing rapidly once more. Finally, his aura convulsed and then exploded outwards from his body, vanishing as he finally reached his peak.

Panting lightly he folded his arms across his chest once more, a smug look coming across his features.

"Anyone got a working scouter?"

Etapa merely stared on, removing her scouter and dropping the useless device.

Instead, Amotto spoke up, reading the numbers from her own scouter. "9200..."

Seripa noticed that her voice was shaky, but it also had a determined edge to it. It was enough to bring a slight smirk to her lips as she stared up at the boy hovering over them. It ate at her that the brat had gone from being weaker than her to dwarfing her power and the others' power combined. And only in the span of a few days, too. Actually, it pissed her off.

It also pissed her off that she hadn't reconsidered Amotto's idea for her to consume a piece of the fruit. She had refused, obviously, since her power reading was still just a little over 3000. She had refused because she didn't want to sink to Turles' level on gaining strength. Sure it was a guaranteed super boost in power, but she still had her saiya-jin pride, even if the whelp above her didn't. She would grow stronger, but on her terms not his. Though at this point it was beginning to look as if she should _have_ eaten a piece of the fruit. Maybe then she would be able to take him on, because right now things were looking way too one-sided for her liking.

She quirked a brow as something occurred to her, "Where's Caul?"

Turles chuckled and floated down level with the ship. "I killed him days ago. I no longer needed him for anything and he was just going to slow me down in the long-run, as I had no intention of sharing the fruit with him," he grinned, "despite me telling him otherwise."

Her eyes narrowed, "You have no qualms with killing off what's left of us? You are a twisted boy."

"Of course I don't," he laughed low. "I don't care what happens to the rest of ya'll. As far as I'm concerned, I am the last saiya-jin in the universe. And I'm well on my way to becoming a Super Saiya-jin."

"That's just a myth," said Lessbru from behind Seripa. "There is no historical evidence to support the existence of an actual Super Saiya-jin."

"Well, then I guess I'll just be the first one ever."

"Don't get too cocky," said Seripa coldly. "You have to beat us before you can become one of those!" Flaring her aura around her body she lunged towards him, her fist drawn back.

Thrusting it forward with as much power behind it as she could muster, she was dismayed to find her punch all-too easily deflected to one side.

"My turn!" Turles said low and viciously, grinning as he brought his other hand around and drove his fist effortlessly into her gut. It was hard enough to send her flying, but she had barely gone a few inches before he caught her by her hair.

Seripa was helpless as he spun her around by her hair, then flung her straight at the ground. The force of her impact dug her deep into the sand. Before she could recover he had dropped down onto her back, the sound of her armor and bones cracking filling the air.

For a brief moment she could only lay there in shock, before she opened her mouth to let out an involuntary cry of pain. Before the sound could come forth, she felt a hard kick to her side (and several ribs breaking instantly) and she was sent tumbling across the sand, pieces of her armor breaking away, leaving behind a trail of white and gold.

Turles folded his arms and laughed again. He was thoroughly enjoying roughing her up. It was the easiest thing he had ever done; he was so much more powerful than her that it was almost too pathetic for him to be beating her up. But she had insulted him multiple times already and had come too close to beating him once. He couldn't let her live any longer, because it was too obvious just how much of a threat she actually was. Even if his power was so much greater than hers, she had already proven to him that she was a clever fighter, as well.

Well, he could be clever, too. He had, afterall, snuck up on them rather easily.

Seripa struggled to push herself up. Blood dripped from her mouth with each heavy breath she took. Wincing as a rib poked into her side, she stood on shaking feet. Gritting her teeth she brought both of her hands up and began to summon what was left of her ki. She wasn't going down without a fight, she decided.

Turles began to laugh harder now, his eyes closing as he grabbed at his sides mockingly.

"You really plan to keep fighting? Damn, you are one stubborn bitch!"

"Yeah…w-well, I d-did learn from the b-best." She grinned weakly when Turles immediately stopped laughing. She could always rely on mentioning his brother; that sure seemed to distract him sufficiently.

He clenched his jaw tight and narrowed his eyes.

"Bardock was nothing. His power was nowhere near what mine is now, and you _still_ insist that he was the best?" he scoffed, but the rage in his eyes remained. It looked like he was struggling to keep his temper in check now.

A pink ball of ki appeared between her outstretched hands. It flickered weakly before stabilizing and beginning to grow..

"Resistance is futile, bitch."

"My name…is Seripa." She hissed in pain as several shards of one of her ribs stabbed into her side. Her body was trembling with the effort of pouring her ki into the blast.

Her eyes flicked away from him briefly, and she smirked as he took the bait, watching him as he snapped his head in the direction she'd looked. She poured even more ki into the blast, her knees wobbling and her head spinning with the effort. Just as he realized his mistake and was beginning to look back at her, she fired off the blast.

A look of triumph crossed her features as she watched it fly at the horror-stricken face of Turles. Then he suddenly flashed a grin, and she didn't even see when he knocked the blast away. She could only stare on. She wasn't really all that shocked that he had deflected it. She was more blown away by the fact that he had tricked her.

She slumped to her knees as the others landed behind her.

Broco suddenly dashed forward and began to deliver a barrage of punches and kicks to Turles, who didn't block as the hits collided with his unprotected body. They didn't even make him flinch.

Lessbru suddenly lunged forward, joining in with Broco. Then Etapa and then Amotto, followed by the rest. They all swarmed him, punching and kicking and blasting in any desperate attempt to beat him. But he remained motionless, laughing at them and shaking his head.

He suddenly threw his back and let out a yell. A shockwave spread out from his body, sending them all flying backwards. Amotto, Broco, Lessbru, a couple of others whose names Seripa couldn't remember, found themselves slamming into the unforgiving hull of the ship. The others landed in the sand violently and didn't move.

She took a pained breath as she slowly climbed to her feet again. She squared her shoulders as he closed the distance between them.

Pausing just a few feet from her, he extended one hand towards her, and a blue ball of light appeared in his palm.

Grinning manically at her he arched an eyebrow, "Any last words, bitch?"

"Yeah. 'Fuck' and 'you'." She spat on his armor, and met his dark eyes with her violet ones.

"So be it."

The ball of light flashed from his palm and she closed her eyes as she felt the incinerating heat mere milliseconds from ending her life.

The next thing she knew she was picking herself up out of a pile of sand, and spitting said sand out of her mouth. Blinking she looked around until she spotted Turles…but standing in front of him was a man clad in black and red armor and wearing a black and red helmet on his head, concealing his face. An almost blood red cape hung from the shoulder guards of his armor, flapping behind him in the fierce wind that blew all around them. His arms, the muscles well defined by the black body-suit he wore beneath the armor, were folded casually across his chest.

"Looks like I arrived just in time," the man said, an almost bored tone dripping from his deep voice.

Turles quirked a brow at the man and slowly lowered his arm.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

The bottom of the man's helmet split and slid away to reveal his grinning lips. A scar stretched from the corner of his lips and up the left side of his face, vanishing beneath the rest of the helmet. Seripa frowned at the scar as she struggled to her feet weakly. Something twitching at his waist drew her gaze down and her eyes widened at the tail wrapped snuggly around his waist.

"I said, who the hell do you think you are?" Turles repeated, his agitation apparent in his voice.

"I think I'm the guy that's about to kick your ass."

_**DBZ**_

_(***Author's Note: Yes, I made a reference to the "over 9000" line. Deal with it. Hahaha! Anyway, I hope ya'll liked this one. So far it's been my favorite to write. Anyway, as usual, R/R blah blah blah. You know the routine.)_

_(P.S. Can anyone guess who the mystery-man is? Free imaginary cookie to the first person to figure it out.)_


	5. Guarded

_**(Individual Lies here! Just wanted to apologize for the tardiness of this chapter. Life happens, as it is said. And life has been happening like crazy for me, lately. But only involving work. So…less social life and more overtime. Hm…Anyway, I'd also like to once again thank **_ShadowMajin. _**He beta'd this chapter, and helped me polish it up. It was originally pretty messy and I wasn't too satisfied with it. So, thanks! And now…without further rambling, I present to you…)**_

_**Chapter Five: Guarded**_

"_Now I want you, when you're gone and now _

_it's like you're holding something just in front _

_of me. Well then, I can't allow this to become _

_another one of those times that I'm left in the _

_cold, dead. There's no compromise."_

_Disturbed: Guarded_

_**DBZ**_

__A stillness descended upon the area as Seripa struggled to her feet. Her entire body was aching and she was certain Turles had broken most of her bones. Everything hurt. She couldn't think of a single thing that didn't hurt as she teetered where she stood, staring between Turles and the newcomer. The scar on his face (the little of it she could see) was curiously similar to Bardock's. But she knew from the shape of the man's chin and how much broader his shoulders were, that he was not her former mentor. She wasn't sure about his height, but the newcomer also seemed a little taller than he had been.

She left them plenty of space and sat down heavily in the sand, her body screaming in protest and making her growl in pain. Clutching her sides, Seripa looked between the two of them as the silence stretched on. Judging by the look on his face, Turles was still in shock that the man had just spoken to him like that. The newcomer kept his grin firmly in place and didn't move from his position. His crimson cape flapped behind him in the fierce wind that only seemed to be getting fiercer.

Turles narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly. He folded his arms, mirroring the newcomer's stance.

"I don't think I heard you right. What exactly did you say?"

"I think I'm the guy that's about to kick your ass." He repeated, chuckling afterwards.

Turles frowned. "Wrong answer." He lunged forward, moving much faster than Seripa could track.

By the time her eyes caught up to him, he was hovering before the newcomer with his right fist firmly planted in the man's exposed jaw. Her eyes shot wide open when she saw that he was still grinning and unfazed. In fact she thought that Turles' fingers were beginning to look a little bigger than normal.

"Well, what's the right answer? Certainly not that you're gonna kick _my _ass, right?"

Turles slowly withdrew his shaking fist, his dark eyes wide as he flew back away from the man a few feet, before touching his feet down into the sand.

"Who the hell are you?"

The newcomer chuckled and unfolded his arms, reaching up to pull the dark helmet from his head. Long black spikes of hair fell down to his shoulders and he looked upon Turles with stern, coal black eyes. Stretching from the corner of his lips and up to just below his left eye was a scar that did, in fact, greatly resemble Bardock's. But in the center of this man's forehead was another scar; this one was in the shape of a jagged X.

He quirked a brow at the confused expression upon Turles' face and his grin faded slightly.  
"You don't recognize me, kid?" a slight hint of disappointment in his tone

"I am _not_ a kid!" seethed Turles, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides.

"You certainly do act like one."

"Fuck you!"

"Now you're acting like Bardock," the newcomer said with amusement.

"_FUCK YOU!_"

Turles flared his blue aura around his body and lunged forward again. This time he launched into an all-out attack, but the newcomer easily dodged every punch and kick that was thrown his way. To Seripa it looked like he was just taunting the boy. Like at any second he was going to subdue him with one hand.

The newcomer watched as Turles launched a kick towards his face. This time he didn't dodge. He merely raised his hand up, curling all his fingers save for his index and thumb, and _caught_ the toe of Turles' boot between the two digits. He flashed a grin up at the stunned boy.

"Quick to anger just like Bardock, too. Damn, the similarities are crazy. But he possessed much more potential than you do. Not a single one of your attacks was aimed to deal the most damage. You're attacking blind and recklessly, putting too much faith in your strength. If you fight with your head rather than your muscles you would do significantly more damage to your opponent."

Seripa could only stare at the man. There was no doubt in her mind that he was Tettuce, Bardock's former mentor. And he was clearly very powerful. Much more powerful than her mentor had been.

Suddenly the man, Tettuce, flicked his wrist and Turles was slung into and through the hull of the ship. He grimaced and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he stared at the newest hole in the hull.

"Damn,I threw him too hard," He was still for a moment, before he shrugged, "Eh, fuck it." He turned then to face her, lowering his arm and pressing a button on the side of his helmet, which he had tucked under his arm before the fight had begun. The helmet suddenly broke apart and shrank into a single, flat, and square plate of whatever the thing had been made of. He started walking towards her, sticking the plate/helmet into the front of his armor.

"I'm assuming you're Seripa?" he paused before her, folding his arms and arching a brow. His red cape flapped behind him in the still-blowing wind; it was showing no signs of letting up, either. His thick mass of hair was being tousled by the wind, as well.

She frowned up at him and rubbed the back of her glove against her blood-stained face in an effort to wipe some of the blood away. It was a fruitless endeavor, though, as much of it had already dried. So she was left with an ugly magenta blotch of crust across her face. Despite this, though she would've stood to better greet the man, but the pain she was in was nothing compared to the wave of weakness that suddenly overtook her. So, she remained sitting in the sand, forced to crane her aching neck to look at him.

"And I'm assuming you're Tettuce." she stated, rather than asking.

He smiled slightly and knelt down before her, "Very astute. Bardock mentioned that you were probably the cleverest member of his team. He's obviously very fond of you."

Tettuce arch a brow in confusion as she quickly lowered her gaze to the obsidian-colored sand beneath her. The other shot up when she closed her eyes tight and lifted her hands to cover her face. He was surprised by her reaction, to say the least. He stared at her for a few moments, before shrugging and moving forward to pick her up.

Seripa felt him moving to pick her up and tensed briefly, before relaxing. She made no effort to resist. But when she felt him pause and pull away she opened her eyes slowly. She looked up at him to see him staring at the ship curiously. She frowned and followed his gaze with a confused expression written across her bruised and bloodied face.

"What is it?"

"The kid's power just shot up tremendously." He stood up and turned to fully face the ship.

She frowned and looked back at him just as he was standing. Turles must've gotten hold of some of that wretched fruit of his, she thought bitterly.

"How do you know?" she asked, suddenly realizing he wasn't wearing a scouter.

"I can read it." He glanced down at her when she didn't respond, noting the blank look on her face. He smiled slightly, "I'll explain later."

"YOU WILL DIE NOW!" They looked back to the ship in time to see Turles shoot from out of the ship and drop down before them, the impact of his landing sending sand flying all over Seripa. Somehow (much to her chagrin) it completely missed Tettuce.

Ignoring the sand and the murderous glares being sent at him, Tettuce grinned.

"That's an impressive increase in power, kid. But you still don't stand a chance against me,' he stated, matter-of-factly.

"What makes you so certain? You don't have a scouter so how could you possibly know that I don't stand a chance?" Turles was seething, barely restraining himself from attacking the man.

Seripa, meanwhile, was crawling backwards as fast as her beaten body could carry her. She had already gotten a feel for the brat's brutality once and she was in no hurry to experience his newest boost in power.

Tettuce grinned again and cocked an eyebrow.

"Kid, you just don't get it. But you're lucky I'm willing to explain it to you." He paused to see if Turles would say anything, but when he didn't he continued, "See, if you were to measure your power with a scouter right now, your power reading would be somewhere between 25,000 and 27,000. You are very powerful now. Seripa and the others wouldn't have had any chance at all."

"Yeah, I woulda slaughtered them all just like I'm about to slaughter you!"

"You still don't get it!" Tettuce snapped, his grin gone now and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Turles growled at him, seeming unfazed by his attitude change. "What don't I get?"

"Why doesn't your power scare me, kid? You obviously agree with my assessment of your power, because you haven't tried to claim it was higher. So why doesn't such a high power have me shaking in my boots?" Tettuce was obviously struggling to maintain his patience at this point.

He was met with another growl, "Because you're fuckin' stupid, apparently!" Turles was tired of holding back. He had the power now, so he was going to tear this bastard apart. Sure he had bested him earlier, but thankfully when he had been casually thrown into the ship he had ended up in the cargo hold, lying in the ruins of one of the crates he had loaded full of fruit. All he had grabbed was a handful of mush, but it had worked enough to give him another boost in strength. He was confident now that he could take the guy down.

Tettuce closed his eyes and slowly shook his head, sighing sadly. "It's such an obvious answer, too. I guess that's another thing that sets you apart from Bardock. He was much more intelligent than you could ever hope to be."

"THAT'S IT! FUCK YOU!" Turles was alight with raw ki as he lunged at Tettuce again.

He never stood a chance.

Turles had rushed headlong into his attack prepared to fight with everything he had. Thrusting his fist towards the man's exposed jaw he was jarred when his punch was blocked by the littlest finger on Tettuce's right hand. The fact had barely registered before he heard the man speak.

"The weak never do recognize strength without a show of force. I always forget that," he sighed out the last part, a note of pity obvious in his tone.

Without thinking, Turles brought his other hand around to bear, and fired a massive blast point-blank into Tettuce's face. The resulting explosion sent both he and Seripa flying backwards.

Turles managed to regain himself and landed atop the ship to watch the plumes of sand descending upon where Tettuce once stood. He had to allow himself a chuckle at that. He could hardly believe it, and was still somewhat reluctant to allow himself to believe that he had taken the man out.

For good reason, too, as he heard a voice beside him say, "Impressive explosion. It would have been much worse had I not taken the brunt of the attack."

Spinning around Turles came face-to-face with a completely unscathed Tettuce.

"You probably would have even destroyed the ship and everyone else around you," he continued with a smirk.

"Bull shit! You must've dodged at the last second. There's no way you could have survived that!" Turles snapped, fighting to keep his voice from trembling at the same time. "N-no saiya-jin is _that_ strong!"

"I am." he responded coolly. "You've obviously forgotten that I'm Tettuce."

Turles' eyes widened first in recognition, and then widened even more so in horror at realizing just who in the hell he had been fighting. His body seemed to give out on him as he sank to the ground heavily.

"No wonder you never looked like you were trying." He mumbled as he stared blankly at the sand beneath him. "I never stood a chance."

"Nope. Sorry, kid."

The rage was back with a vengeance as a blue aura exploded around Turles' body, sending sand flying high into the sky.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" he jumped up and shot at Tettuce, his fist drawn back fully, ready to swing it forward and deliver a crushing blow to the irritating man.

Again, Tettuce never seemed to move. But Turles was obviously struck a powerful blow as his body doubled over in response to what appeared to be a blow to the gut. His head recoiled back and he staggered, his aura vanishing from around his body. He stumbled for a moment, a look of dazed confusion upon his face. He looked at Tettuce who just shook his head. Then Turles' head snapped back from an unseen blow and he fell to his back, his black eyes rolling into the back of his skull.

Seripa was shocked to say the least. She had assumed Tettuce would be much stronger than Bardock had been, but this was a level of strength that she couldn't compare to anything she had seen before amongst the saiya-jin. The only thing she could compare it to…was Frieza's power. She felt a tremble run through her body, as she shuddered at the thought. A saiya-jin with power comparable to the lizard's. It was beyond anything that she could have ever possibly dreamed of.

"Tettuce…"

He turned away from Turles' helpless form and looked down at her curiously.

"What?"

"Are you as strong as Frieza?"

Tettuce arched a brow and chuckled quietly. He shook his head in response. "No, I'm not. I'm strong, yeah. But Frieza is beyond anything I've achieved."

Seripa's newfound hope instantly evaporated. So the lizard was even more powerful than she thought. She really needed to stop under-estimating her opponents. Bardock would have beaten her black and blue for making that fatal mistake.

"Can you train me?" she asked with a tired sigh.

"You can't be serious." Tettuce responded automatically. He quirked a brow as he walked over to her, kneeling down before her once more. Only they were much closer to the ship now. Seripa was sitting only a few yards from the ramp leading into the ship.

She frowned, her lips curling up, as she very nearly growled at him. "Of course I'm serious!" She struggled to her feet, barely resisting the urge to cringe and clutch her aching body parts. She stood weakly, but firm-footed, with her shoulders squared and her violet eyes glaring with an impressive intensity with how injured she was. "I've never been more serious of anything in my life."

_Well, there was that one _other_ time. But that hardly counts, right? After all, Kak-_ she shook her head lightly, almost as if she were shaking away her fatigue. She focused her attention on Tettuce again. She couldn't let anything from her past distract her. She had to let those memories go, just like Bardock had told her to do in her dream.

Tettuce gave her a long look before he scoffed, "Well, aren't you just a determined little kid."

"I'm not a kid."

"Come on, you couldn't be any older than Turles."

"I'm 25."

"…Damn. You look more about 19 or 20."

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted."

Tettuce laughed and glanced up as an ovular ship descended leisurely from overhead. It resembled their stolen cruiser, Seripa noticed, but much sleeker. It was obviously a newer model than theirs.

"And here's our ride."

She tore her gaze from the somewhat intimidating ship and looked at him, "Who are you working for?" she asked tensely.

"Her name's Aurah. If you've ever heard the name Vogan, than you should know that she is his daughter." He watched the ship as it slowly circled around and descended slowly towards them.

"Vogan's that eccentric dracon, ain't he?"

"No, that's Vvvogahn. Vogan is-er, well, _was_ anyhow, a Gylderian Lord who fought fiercely to garner allies against Frieza. Many consider him an eccentric, as well." He chuckled and glanced back down at her. The ship touched down, sand kicking up and blowing all around them. But it never touched them, seeming to circle around them, instead.

"Yeah, I've heard of him, too. Did he die?"

"Yeah. The same day our race was slaughtered."

Seripa's eyes widened. "What?"

"Vogan was on Vegeta meeting with a member of the royal family. Ah, Lord Spinac if I remember correctly. He was hoping to help free our race from the clutches of the lizard. And guess who wouldn't have any of that?"

Her blood suddenly turned to ice. "What are you saying?" She hadn't missed the way he asked that question. It suggested that there was more to it than she was aware.

"Frieza destroyed our world to destroy Vogan, not our race. We were expendable."

"But wait…then…" she frowned in confusion. "Why did he send Dodoria to murder us on Planet Meat?"

Tettuce sighed. Behind him the ship's hatch had opened and the ramp descended to the sandy ground.

"That has more to do with me and Bardock than it did with you and the others. You wouldn't have been spared either way, so it really doesn't matter." He glanced behind him as several groups of aliens exited. They formed into three rows, with ten to a row, behind Tettuce. Once situated they all put their hands behind their backs and took an attentive stance.

"What do you mean?" Seripa asked, bringing his attention back to her.

"Frieza is trying to kill me. He targeted Bardock, you, and the others to flush me out." He sighed again, "He wants me to try and attack him blindly, assuming I will do like any of our brothers and sisters would, and try to kill him. He's right in that I want to kill him. But he's wrong in assuming I will attack him. As much as I'd like to, I'm much smarter than he gives me credit for." He smiled slightly.

Seripa stared at him blankly. Her head was swimming with this information. Her race had been decimated for political reasons and her and her friends had been killed in an attempt to flush out Tettuce. She, Bardock, Toma, Borgos, and Shugesh had all been used as bait. She collapsed, her broken body finally giving out on her.

Before she had fallen more than a few inches, Tettuce scooped her up, "Don't be leaving me now. You've remained conscious this long, you can hang on until we get inside the ship so we can get off this miserable rock."

"Whatever you say," she sighed. She leaned against his chest, thinking of how he felt nothing like Bardock. She was weaker and more fatigued than she thought, she mused. Why else would she be thinking of him like that?

Tettuce turned to address the aliens still waiting behind him. "Tend to the wounded and get them safely aboard either ship. It doesn't matter which, because we're taking both. I want this one here, though," he nodded his head towards where Turles still lay unmoving, "I want him where I can reach him, just in case. Do whatever is necessary to make sure that ship is space-worthy. We are leaving immediately. Now go."

While they all rushed off in different directions to attend to the different jobs, Tettuce walked past them up the ramp and into the ship. Seripa glanced back at where Turles still lay just as one of the aliens picked him up and carelessly slung him across his shoulder. She grinned before settling down and closing her eyes. They opened immediately as a wave of darkness threatened to crash over her.

"You're not taking any chances with Turles, are you?" Seripa asked after they had been walking for several minutes. She was growing wearier as time drew on and she was nowhere near ready to sleep, yet. Making conversation would help keep her awake.

"Trust me on this: he won't be waking up anytime soon. Not for a few weeks, anyhow. Having him put aboard this ship is just a precautionary measure."

Seripa couldn't help but grin. It served the little brat right in her mind. He needed to be put in his place. She still couldn't fathom how he could have been Bardock's brother. But then, she also would not have imagined the man that was carrying her to be the very man that had trained her mentor.

Speaking of training.

"You never answered my question, Tettuce."

"What question?" he asked, resisting the urge to grimace. He wasn't stupid; despite wishing that she had, he knew that she had not forgotten.

"Are you going to train me?"

"Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

She frowned at him answering her question with another question. But at least he was asking the right question.

"I know the odds are against me."

"Girl, you don't even know." Tettuce said with a shake of his head.

"No, you're right. I don't know what I'm up against, because you've already proven _my_ theory of his power, wrong. I watched him destroy Vegeta with a flick of his finger. I can't even guess at the power needed to do that. I don't know the scale of his strength, but I'll take whatever help I can get to close that distance, nonetheless. When the time comes, I will stand before Frieza with everything that I have and I will do anything and everything I can to beat him into the dirt."

"And if all of that isn't enough?"

"Then at least I can say I tried."

Tettuce stopped walking. She blinked in confusion and glanced up at him. He was staring at her with the most confused expression she had ever seen.

"Why would you pass up a chance on living in peace?"

"I'm the last remaining member of my team. Someone has to avenge them and I'd rather it be me. Besides," she gave a sad, half-hearted smile, "were it any one of them, they'd want to do the same exact thing. Besides, I highly doubt there will be any peace anywhere so long as Frieza continues his reign."

"That's true," Tettuce agreed, albeit reluctantly, "You know, I've never encountered such a close-knit group as yours. I must say that I am surprised that Bardock of all people was your captain."

Seripa frowned at him. "Why does that surprise you?"

"When I knew Bardock he wasn't that much different than Turles was. From the way you talk about him, I gather that he must have changed considerably since my exile. I don't know how he trained you, but from what I can gather so far, he must have started using his head before his muscles."

"He was smart, if that's what you're saying."

He laughed and started walking again. "I've always known he was smart, but he was also very stubborn and quick to anger. Bardock has made more trips to a rejuvenation chamber for attacking in blind anger than anyone else I've ever known."

"That doesn't sound like the same Bardock I knew. He was stubborn, yes, but he always made it a point in our training to make sure we knew to attack with purpose and direction. He told us never to 'shoot aimless or attack blindly.'" She frowned and glanced up as Tettuce stepped onto the bridge.

"Yeah, sounds like he's changed quite a bit since I've last seen him."

She frowned at the way he spoke. Did he not know that Bardock was dead? She was about to ask him when she noticed the silver-skinned woman sitting in the throne at the center of the bridge. Her eyes widened at the luminescent sheen of the woman's sleek skin. Had the woman not been wearing a heavy golden cloak, Seripa was sure the woman's skin would have blinded her completely. She also vaguely noted that the woman had long tendrils of pearl white, dread-locked hair. Her eyes, though, they stuck into her memory. It was difficult to ignore the fact that the woman's eyes were gold irises with a blue luminescent pupil, all surrounded in a sea of pale blue.

So this was a Gylderian? Seripa was beyond impressed by the beauty that literally radiated from the woman before her.

Tettuce paused before the woman, quite obviously Aurah, and knelt carefully in a low bow, doing his best not to jostle the injured woman in his arms.

"Tettuce, love, you do not have to bow."

He grinned at the woman, "Even I must maintain the formalities, my lady."

She quirked a brow at the way he said the word 'my.' She had barely caught the subtle emphasis he had placed on the word. He had clearly wanted no one but Aurah to hear it. He had almost succeeded, because Seripa had just barely caught it.

"If you wish." She rolled her eyes at him before turning her luminescent hues on the woman in his arms. "You must be Seripa," she smiled at her; a kind and warm smile. The smile a mother would give a child.

She nodded, wincing slightly. Briefly distracted by the disarming attitude and beauty of the woman, she had forgotten about her aching body.

"Oh dear," the woman frowned and leaned forward in her seat, "You are in serious need of medical attention."

The saiya-jin woman laughed quietly, "Like you wouldn't believe." She sighed and gave the woman a weak stare, "Yes, I'm Seripa."

"Good. We've been worried we wouldn't find you. When we first learned of you and your comrades on Meat, we were told that all four of you had died. When we arrived and found only three bodies, we wondered briefly if your body had even been left behind. But we knew you were alive once we found the space pods and saw that one was missing. We have been searching the galaxy for any signs of your survival. You are an elusive saiya-jin, I'll give you that." Aurah said with a soft laugh.

Seripa grinned weakly, "Well, I survived. Barely, but I did." She sighed, shifting a bit in Tettuce's arms to ease the pain of her battered body, "But how did you find out about me and the others being on Meat?"

Aurah's smile faded slightly and she glanced from her to Tettuce. Seripa frowned and glanced up at him, too.

He sighed and moved forward to carefully place the injured woman in the identical throne next to Aurah's.

"They found out because of me," he said as he knelt down in front of them, looking at and addressing Seripa.

"How did you find out, though?" she asked with her frown still in place.

"Bardock told me."

Seripa stared at him in open-mouthed shock. Bardock had told him? Bardock had broken the Royal Law and contacted an Exile. And not just any exile, either. He contacted Tettuce, the Exile. The one person that would have resulted in Bardock's immediate execution had anyone found out. She frowned again, looking at the man kneeling before her. Something had just occurred to her…

"Why in the hell were you exiled?"

Tettuce stared at her with a raised eyebrow, before chuckling low. "So there are people in the universe that don't know about my past."

"Leave the past where it belongs, love." Aurah said gently. She turned to Seripa and leaned close to her, lowering her voice so the others on the bridge could not overhear her words. "Tettuce was exiled for challenging King Vegeta for the throne."

"What? Really?" she couldn't help but stare at Tettuce now. She had never before heard of anyone daring to challenge the King.

"Yes," he answered before Aurah could, "It all deals with Frieza, though. I disagreed with the treaty between him and our people. I made this clear to Vegeta on multiple occasions. I warned him that if he didn't sever the treaty with him, then our people would eventually be destroyed." He sighed and lowered his gaze to the floor. "I was an advisor to the throne and he always turned his nose up to my advice." His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "One day I was finally fed up with it. When I told him that he should end the treaty, I followed by saying that if he didn't, then I would challenge him for the right to be king."

"What'd he do?"

Tettuce smiled slightly and continued, "At first he laughed, but when he realized I was serious he had me escorted from his chambers. He neither accepted nor rejected my challenge, saying only that I was a threat to the throne." He sighed again. "He knew I would have won the challenge and that very few of his elites could stand against me. So he requested that Frieza send some of his strongest men to assist with my exile," he paused and glanced up at Aurah for a moment, then turned his gaze to Seripa again.

"Who could he have sent that can stand against you?"

A tense expression came across his features and he looked down again. "He only sent two men that I will never forget: Ginyu and Recoome."

She drew in a quick breath, her eyes widening again. She remained silent, though, allowing him to continue.

"They were much stronger than I was back then, but even now I'm none too sure of my chances against them. Back then all it had taken to render me unconscious was a slap from Recoome." His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched again. He was silent as he fumed, recalling the memory of that day. "One measly _slap_, and I was down. The next thing I knew I was waking up on a space station in a completely different galaxy. Within a week I was employed by Lord Vogan and the rest is history."

Seripa was silent for a few moments. She wasn't really sure what to say to all that. She was also beginning to have a hard time focusing on anything. She sighed wearily and leaned back in her seat. She still had some questions she wanted answered, though, so she kept quiet about her injuries.

"That explains your exile, but why does Frieza want you dead? What did you do that sent him after me and my team?"

Tettuce flinched at her words; or, more accurately, the way she said that last sentence. He grimaced and glanced back at her.

"I should probably mention that I'm a general of Vogan's army. Well, I'm a general of Aurah's army now." Again, he sighed and glanced at the silver-skinned woman. She smiled at him and he smiled back before continuing. "I am also the most powerful General in the universe, and when he went after Vogan he wanted me to die, too. Normally I would have been with Vogan anywhere he went, but in this case he adamantly refused to let me accompany him to Planet Vegeta." Again he grimaced. "It was like he knew what was going to happen, but that's not it. He left me behind because of my history with King Vegeta and the rest of the royal family.

"When Frieza discovered that I was not going to be on Planet Vegeta with Vogan, he ordered your team to Planet Meat where he had Dodoria and his team awaiting your arrival."

"And you know this how?"

"You aren't the only one with marvelous hackers, Seripa," Aurah chimed in. She smiled at the confused expression upon the saiya-jin woman's face. "That's how we found you: we detected the one known as Broco hacking Frieza's main servers, which we also happened to be hacking. That was how we discovered the real reason behind Frieza's attacks, and where you were. It all worked out rather nicely, save for one little detail."

Seripa quirked a brow at the other woman, "And what would that be?"

"Frieza's people were monitoring both hacks the entire time. If it wasn't for my ship being much faster than his, he would have beaten us here for sure."

"Lady Aurah."

She turned from Seripa and looked across the bridge at a black-skinned young alien who was saluting her. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Burgah, what have I told you about saluting me? I am _still_ not my father."

"My apologies, my lady."

"It's fine. What is it?"

"Ma'am, the ship is ready for take-off. Communications have been linked with the other ship as requested, and they, too, are ready for take-off."

"And the damage to the other ship?"

"Nothing can be done about the damage until we have returned to Gylder, my lady. However the force field generator aboard the ship has been altered to provide a more localized field."

"Around the holes in the hull?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Then take-off, Burgah."

"Ma'am." He turned and sat down, immediately setting to launching the ship.

Seripa had quietly listened to the exchange as she thought about everything she had found out that day. Her head was still spinning when Aurah looked back to her. She looked at the gylderian woman for a moment, before looking down and holding her head. It was hard to meet that woman's luminescent gaze for too long without getting a headache, she realized.

"You should get to recovery, Seripa."

She shook her head, but that just made it hurt worse. She winced and glanced up at the stern expression on Aurah's face, making her frown now.

"Seripa, go to recovery." Aurah spoke with a tone of authority, making the saiya-jin woman blink in surprise.

"Uhm…"

"I'll take her." Tettuce stood again and carefully scooped the much smaller saiya-jin into his arms. "I'll be right back, Aurah."

"Of course." She smiled up at him and he smiled back, before turning to leave the bridge. He made it to the second level before Seripa spoke again.

"Wow."

"What?" he asked as he stepped into the recovery wing of the ship.

The room was filled with wall-to-wall rejuvenation chambers. That surprised Seripa, but at the same time she should have expected it since this cruiser was much newer than the one she had briefly been captain of.

"I've never met a gylderian before, so I'm still in awe of Aurah's beauty."

Tettuce chuckled as he set in a chair beside one of the tanks. "She's only half gylderian, actually."

"Really? What else is she?" she asked. She watched him as he got the chamber ready for her, setting the timer on it when he was done. It didn't take him long, she noticed. These tanks were much newer than the one she'd had to use several times on her ship.

"That's hard to explain, actually." He frowned and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, see Aurah used to be two people."

Seripa gave him a blank stare.

He grinned, "I told you it's hard to explain. Anyway, Aurah used to be two people many years ago. When I first met her she was a saiya-jin girl named Letta, and a gylderian girl named Surah. Both of them fell in love with me and I fell in love with them, as well."

She continued to give him a blank stare.

He chuckled and opened the hatch to the chamber before continuing. "It happened about seven years ago. Surah was sent to a frontier planet for negotiations, and Letta accompanied her as a bodyguard."

"Wait, if they both loved you why would they go anywhere together?" she asked, speaking finally. She pulled her damaged battle jacket over her head, wincing as she her felt her broken ribs shifted around and pressed into her sides again. She let it fall to the floor and stood weakly, reaching out for a support as she lost her balance.

Tettuce caught her arm gently and slid his arm around her waist for support. "They had grown up together, so they were very close friends. They both knew that the other loved me and they both knew that I loved both of them. It was a triangle, yes, but we all maintained our distance. We weren't sure what to do about it, so we left things as they were. I never touched them and they never touched me."

"Until they became one person." She said, raising one eyebrow slowly. That wasn't any different than what Bardock probably would have done. So far it seemed that he had picked up a lot of his views from his mentor.

"Yep," was his simple reply.

"And how did they become one person, exactly?" she asked, urging him to continue with the story.

He laughed again and stepped back away from her as she started pulling her under armor off.

"That's the strangest part of this story," chuckled Tettuce, "and I very much doubt that you will believe a word of what I'm going to say."

"I've heard and seen weird shit most of my life. The idea of two people merging to become one person is a new idea, though. But I believe you, because like I said, I've heard and seen some weird shit before." She winced as she stepped towards the awaiting chamber, shivering at the cold air of the room upon her naked flesh.

Tettuce watched her, his eyes never wandering to places they were not welcome to gaze upon, as she made to step into the chamber. Almost instantly she collapsed forward. He reached out and casually caught her shoulder.

"I think the story will have to wait until you are healed up. No need in delaying your recovery, right?" he grinned at her sour look, "You picked up way too many habits from Bardock."

She flushed, hating herself the instant she felt the heat in her cheeks. She shoved away from him and scrambled into the chamber, quickly and carefully crossing her arms across her chest, concealing her bare breasts, and crossing her legs.

"What does Aurah plan to do?" Seripa asked tersely, changing the subject quickly.

Chuckling, Tettuce stepped back from the closing hatch, "She plans to help the saiya-jin race recover and flourish out on a frontier planet."

"Frontier planet?"

"Yeah, some planet called Earth."

"Earth? That's a stupid name," she remarked as she placed her oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. The instant suction startled her, as it always did. But the pure oxygen was welcoming to her no doubt severely dusty lungs. The hatch shut, sealing with a hiss.

"I agree, but it's not really a bad planet. A little primitive, but the people there seem to progress quickly. Which somewhat makes up for their weak nature, I suppose." He shrugged and folded his arms across his chest as the chamber began to fill with liquid.

"No good fights, then," she responded, her voice muffled by the oxygen mask. "Why did she pick that planet?"

"For its beauty," he grinned, shaking his head slowly. "It must be the gylderian side of her coming out."

"How'd she find it?"

"She was tracking an infant that had been sent out just before planet Vegeta exploded. When she hacked his ship she discovered where he was being sent to and more or less fell in love with the planet once she saw it for herself," he rolled his eyes at the memory. By then the chamber was half-filled.

"So one of the newborns lived, eh? That's good." She shrugged. "So what's the little tyke's name?" she shivered inside the chamber. The cool healing liquid felt good on her skin, but it was cold enough to give her the shakes.

"Um, damn." He frowned and glanced down thoughtfully, "I wanna say his name was…Kaka…something." He looked back up at her, "I'm not that great with na-" he paused in mid-sentence when he noticed the strange look in her eyes. The clear liquid was rising around her face.

"Kakarott?" she asked slowly, almost timidly. There was a look in her eyes that spoke of simultaneous hope and disbelief. Why, Tettuce couldn't fathom in the least.

He furrowed his brow and nodded, "Yeah, that's the name. How'd you know?"

Slowly her intense gaze softened and she slowly closed her eyes. She wanted to cry, but she knew doing that inside the chamber would be a horrible idea. But she had to answer Tettuce.

"That's Bardock's son. _My _son."

She immediately slipped into darkness, her brain shutting down finally from the day's events.

Tettuce folded his arms across his chest as he regarded the now unconscious woman in the chamber.

"I see now. So _that's_ why Bardock's so fond of her." He shrugged and sighed. "Well, I guess I don't see any reason why I can't train her. Damn."

_**DBZ**_

_**(Individual Lies here again! Glad to see that this story is interesting to more than a few people. I was a little bummed to see that only one person had chanced a guess to my question in the last chapter, but I was happy to note that that guess was correct. So, congratulations to **_**StephanG **_**for his correct guess and on receiving the imaginary cookie. Also, I may slow down considerably in posting chapters for a while but I will never abandon this story, so fear not! We are seriously short-handed where I work. And by that, I meant that three people are covering four shifts and maintaining the operation of a freaking water treatment plant, and continuously are being shat on…*ahem*…My apologies. Whew, ventin's great ain't it? Hahaha! As always the reviews are appreciated and I hope that you all continue to enjoy this story.)**_


	6. Remnants

_(Hey everybody, Individual Lies here. I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who genuinely like this story and that continue to read it. Also I wanted to say thanks to everyone that has put my story on alert. And I would like to welcome reader Jimbo to the ride. And without further…uhm…something or another…I present to you…)_

_**Chapter Six: Remnants **_

"_Scum begets scum, I guess." Bardock growled as he stared into a darkened hospital room from behind mirrored glass. _

_"He won't last the night," the short doctor beside him murmured as he stared into the room, as well. One hand pulled idly at the long white beard that stretched to his chest; the other was held behind his back. _

_The much taller man cast the doctor a sour glare, "You think I need you to point out the obvious?"_

_The doctor chuckled, closing his eyes as he clasped his hands together behind his back. "No, of course not, old friend." He glanced up at the saiyan with a gleam in his eye. _

_Bardock snorted and folded his arms across his chest as he returned his gaze back to the darkened room. He was staring intently at an unmoving figure on the bed in the center of the room. Beside the bed was a clear chamber in which he could just make out the small shape of an infant. Like the figure in the bed, it was unmoving._

_The doctor glanced down at the unmoving infant and he frowned. "What are you going to do?"_

_"Nothin' I can do. The king's word is law, and he says that any infant born too early to survive on its own must die. 'I will not tolerate weakness among my people'," Bardock said, deepening his voice and making it gravelly to better mimic his king. He snorted again and glanced down at the doctor. "Why do you even care?"_

_"I'm your friend, Bardock. Plus, I can treat your son." he said with a shrug, not looking at his friend._

_"What would the point of that be?" scoffed Bardock. "As weak as he'll be it's unlikely he'll survive his childhood."_

_"Then volunteer him to be sent off world. Make sure he goes to a weak planet and he'll surely survive. He might even exceed your expectations."_

_"I don't expect nothin' of him."_

_"Exactly. It's your choice, though. I can make it so no one, not even King Vegeta, will know what happened. All they'll know is that he was born a healthy, lower-class saiyan." The doctor smiled and glanced up at his old friend. "What do you think?"_

_"I think it's pointless." He fell silent and so did the doctor. He stared into the blackness of the room, his onyx-eyed gaze never wavering from the too-tiny infant in the chamber beside the bed. Too tiny to even be held by its mother, who was sleeping less than two feet away. _

_He glanced to the bed and sighed quietly. She was going to have a hard time handling it, he knew. She knew the brat had been born premature, but he also knew that she wouldn't care about that. She would throw a fit once she found out that her son had been thrown into the incinerator. She would raise more hell than the child was worth and probably end up getting herself exiled in the process. _

_Bardock sighed and leaned forward to press his forehead against the cool glass. He was still surprised by how much he worried over the girl. He had put her through so much hell in her eleven years with him and watched her handle life or death situations unfailingly. No matter what he threw her into she always prevailed and came out on top. It was why he had chosen her out of the dozens of promising new enlistees. Before he met any of them he had looked into their assessments and of the ones he looked at, only hers had caught his attention so fully. She had had a low power reading but despite that she had scored the best, even compared to others with twice her power. _

_Now all these years later she was a grown woman who had somehow found her way into his heart and had even given him a son. A pathetic son, but…How had she done it? He didn't know when it happened, because before he knew it he had developed a fondness for the girl that went beyond just training her. Somehow she had completely captured his attention. Not only did he train her and lead her on missions, but now she was his mate. She was the only woman he had ever met that was more than deserving of being his mate. She had been the only woman to ever fully interest him and impress him. She meant more to him than anything else in his life._

_Bardock frowned and growled low under his breath. Were it any other woman he would have left her the instant he'd found out about the weak son she had given him. But it wasn't the child that he had cared about, he realized. She was the reason he was here and she was the reason why he was going to go against the king's will and do something that could get him executed. _

_Possibly. _

_Bardock smirked. If there was one thing he was confident of, it was that no one, not even the royal family, would dare mess with him the way they had his mentor so many years ago. He wasn't anything like Tettuce, and even King Vegeta knew it._

"_Doc."_

_The doctor looked up at Bardock as he straightened away from the glass, "Hm?"_

"_Treat the whelp and make sure he gets sent off world." He unfolded his arms and lowered them to his sides._

"_You are sure you want to risk it? Is he worth it?"_

"_No. The boy ain't worth it. Seripa is, though." He responded quietly, his tone lower and softer than the doctor had ever heard from him before. "I won't see her sad, if I can help it. And in this case I can help it. So make sure the brat lives and get him off of Vegeta."_

_The doctor smiled and looked into the room again, "You are a good man, Bardock. Where do you want me to send him?"_

_Bardock snorted and turned away, "There's nothin' good about me, Doc. I don't care about the whelp and I don't care where he goes. Just get him off world. And don't tell Seripa—I want to tell her when we get back from Kanassa." With that he started down the long, darkened corridor, leaving the doctor to stare after him._

_He smiled as the saiyan walked away and he turned to look at the infant, "You are a lucky little whelp…Kakarrot."_

_**DBZ**_

Tettuce stared into a full-bodied mirror at the bare-fleshed reflection of his well-muscled body. His long hair was tied back into a wildly spiked ponytail. He was half naked, wearing only a pair of loose-fitting gray pants. His dark eyes flickered from his reflection and to the bed reflected behind him. He could see two pale blue pinpoints of light beaming at him from the darkness of the bed.

"Aurah, you should be asleep."

The lights flickered as she sat up; the covers slipping down her left side a bit, exposing her bare shoulder. Her silver skin shone with a light that reminded him of a full moon. It never ceased to bring a smile to his lips.

"As should you, love." She replied softly.

He turned away from the mirror and moved silently across the room to sit on the edge of the bed beside her.

"I will a bit later. I don't need as much as you remember?" he smiled and lifted a hand to caress her cheek.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, smiling serenely, "Yes, I know," she sighed, but the smile stayed in place. "That is the only drawback of being half-gylderian, at least. Having to sleep so many hours in order to replenish my powers. You would think that the saiyan in me would cancel that out." She shrugged and opened her luminescent eyes slightly. "Oh well, I guess."

Tettuce chuckled and let his hand fall away to rest in his lap, "Yes." He fell silent as they stared at one another.

Aurah tilted her head slightly as she regarded her mate, "What is on your mind, love?"  
He chuckled again, looking down with a shake of his head. "You know me far too well," he smiled up at her and was silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"I guess I'm worried about Bardock. It's been weeks since Frieza destroyed the planet. He should have contacted us by now." He sighed and looked down.

"You're sure he's alive?" Aurah said bluntly.

Tettuce looked back up at her with a slight frown. He shook his head slightly, but vehemently, "No, he's alive. I'm sure of it. If there's one thing Bardock had a knack for, it was surviving. He's definitely alive—he must be hiding somewhere." He nodded. "Yeah, that must be it."

"Where would he hide, though?"

He frowned again, "Damn, I don't know. Hm."

Aurah shifted herself toward him and she leaned against him, pressing her cheek against his bare shoulder.

"Why don't you ask Seripa when she's healed up? Maybe she knows where he would hide."

"I hadn't thought of that. That's what I'll do then."

She closed her eyes and lifted one hand to touch his shoulder softly. "When will she be done? She's been in there for three days now."

"The medical officer told me earlier that she has another day and a half to go. Her body is healed, but she drained her ki dangerously low."

"Mm." she said against his back, which brought another smile to his lips.

"Aurah, you should go back to sleep."

"Come with me," she whispered, slowly rubbing her palm against his shoulder, coaxingly.

Tettuce turned around in the bed, which forced Aurah to sit back up. She looked at him reproachfully and pouted her silver lips at him, which made him grin.

"Fine, fine." He stood up and lifted the covers to slide under them beside her. "Is this better?"

"Much," she said happily as she snuggled her soft body against his dense muscles. A smile spread across her sleepy features as Tettuce wrapped his arms around her tiny body.

"We haven't done this much lately, love. I've been missing it," Aurah murmured against his chest.

"I'm sorry, my love. I know I've been distracted since Bardock contacted us that day. I've given the mission to find Seripa my full attention."

"Why were you so intent?" she asked softly.

"I've always thought of Bardock as a son, love. I—I would do anything that he asked of me, or expected of me. If he knew that Seripa had survived, he would expect me to find her if he was unable to." Tettuce closed his eyes and lifted a hand to gently brush back some stray dread-locks from his love's soft-skinned face, before wrapping his arm around her once more.

"I want to meet him," was Aurah's murmured reply.

"Heh," Tettuce chuckled softly and gave her a soft squeeze, "I think he'll like you. He was always fascinated by shiny things. Ow!" he laughed out quietly as he felt two very sharp gylderian fangs dig playfully into his chest.

"S'what you get," she mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah, I bet." He kissed her forehead softly, before gently resting his unscarred cheek against her cool skin.

It wasn't long before he felt Aurah's breathing relax and deepen as she finally fell asleep. Tettuce closed his eyes. It had been more than ten years since he'd last seen his protégé. He never had a chance to finish Bardock's training thanks to his exile. He thought idly of the x-shaped scar upon his brow and he sighed. Ginyu had fired a lethal beam of energy into his forehead in an attempt to kill him when he resisted. If it wasn't for his barrier technique he was certain that day would have marked his untimely demise.

Spared from such an abrupt death, he struggled to fight on, the whole while dazed. He had had no idea where he was when he was enveloped by a sudden darkness when Recoome slapped him.

The thought of being taken out by a simple slap to the face still made him cringe. It was an embarrassing defeat, and it left him shaken for several weeks. Thankfully Vogan found him and took him in, so he was spared a humiliating descent into madness. He had instead pressed on and pushed his limits to become one of the most powerful warriors in the universe. He knew without a doubt that he was nowhere near the level of strength that Frieza possessed, but he was at least on par with the likes of Recoome, and possibly even Ginyu, in a one-on-one fight.

He had trained and pushed his body beyond its breaking point on more than one occasion. He had surpassed many of the more famous of his kind. There was Vegeta the First, who was still considered to have been the most powerful saiyan to ever live, and the legendary twin brothers Curn and Korn. Not to mention his own mentor and idol, Turpin. He had not surpassed him until his mentor had been dead for more than thirty years.

He had trained Bardock for nearly nine years and the last he remembered, the man's power reading had been just under 2000. The training he had put the boy through back then had seemed harsh at the time, but Tettuce had breached so many of his limitations since then, that the memories of his struggles in his youth seemed almost laughable. He had trained so hard back then to reach a level where he was a threat to the royal family. And now thinking of the royal family as a threat was beyond laughable.

Aurah yawned in her sleep and rolled out of his arms, curling up into a tiny bundle with her back to him. He smiled and chuckled at her. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know that she was facing away from him. She did this every time they cuddled together. The gylderian half of her being wanted to be physically loving and endearing, but then the saiyan subconscious would rear its head and shun him completely. He loved her personality swings, because she was always unpredictable. She was volatile and she was a challenge. And he was very much in love with her.

Tettuce rolled onto his back and clasped his hands together behind his head. He opened his dark eyes and stared up at the ceiling. Aurah had activated the virtual window so she could see the stars while she lay in her bed. That was most definitely the saiyan side coming out, because 99.7% of all saiyans were claustrophobic. While they were able to cope with the disorder, most liked to be reminded that the spaceship isn't a prison, and that open space is just beyond a thin veil, as in the case of Aurah and her virtual window.

Seripa had piqued his interest, just as Bardock had done so long ago, he realized. He grimaced at the thought of training her. Shortly after his exile he had sworn to never take on another apprentice, and yet he had already decided to train the woman. She deserved to be trained; there was no doubt about that in his mind. But with what she set out to do, not even what he had to offer would be enough. She was setting herself up to fail, but he still decided to train her. It went against his better judgment, and yet he _still_ decided to train Seripa.

He sighed and closed his eyes wearily. Just thinking about it made his head hurt. He shuddered to think what his single-minded mentor would think. Although he did have to chuckle at the image of the old man about ready to blow his top off as he berated Tettuce. No doubt he would have also been beating him over the head with a _jalossel _the entire time.

But he also owed it to Bardock to finish what he started. He had told Aurah that he was sure his protégé was still alive, but the truth of it was that he was not so confident. He wasn't so naïve to think that he had gone to face Frieza and lived to tell about it. He wanted to believe it, though, and telling Aurah helped to somewhat convince him that there was still a modicum of hope left. That maybe Bardock would contact them in the near future or meet up with them on Gylder.

Tettuce had been telling the truth about one thing, though, and that was that Bardock had a knack for surviving. He was perhaps one of the most resilient warriors he had ever met in his lifetime. The man (more boy than man the last he saw him) had taken some severe beatings in his dealings with Tettuce and on missions. He smirked at the memory of one such mission.

It was still clear in his memory, as if the mission had only been just a few days prior. Tettuce and Bardock had gone to a planet that Frieza had been attempting to acquire for several years. He was on the verge of going to subjugate the planet himself when King Vegeta had recommended Tettuce and his team. Intrigued, Frieza granted the mission to Tettuce's team.

Unfortunately, most of Tettuce's team had been wiped out on a particularly difficult mission. Of the six original members of his team (not including himself,) only three survived. And of those three, two were supposed to spend a month each in recovery. Only the newest, youngest, and weakest member of his team was battle-ready due to his rather fortunate luck at being rendered unconscious early on in the previous mission.

He remembered being reluctant to allow the youth to accompany him on the mission, but the brat's stubborn attitude and sarcastic remarks convinced Tettuce that he was in need of an attitude adjustment.

Upon arrival they had gone their separate ways. Less than a half hour into the conquest, Tettuce had decided that he and Bardock were more than enough to conquer the planet. He was baffled as to how anyone could have had any trouble in taking the planet. What he hadn't known at the time, though, was the planet was home to two different races. One race was moderately powerful, but easily handled by even the lower class saiyan. The other race, though, was extremely vicious and extremely powerful. That race was so powerful that when Tettuce found Bardock, he was facing down dozens of these powerhouse beings in a battle for his life. Intrigued he had stood by and watched the boy take on one after the other, seemingly oblivious to his own blood pooling at his feet.

Eventually Tettuce had been forced to step in and finish them off when they finally overwhelmed Bardock. But not before he had decided that the newest member of his team would be the one he passed his knowledge onto.

Beside him, Aurah shifted around in her sleep, mumbling incoherently. He glanced at her in amusement, unable to resist smiling at her lovingly. She was going to be very upset with him for quite some time to come, as he would no doubt be spending a great deal of time training Seripa. In order for him to get her anywhere near his level he was going to have to devote a lot of his attention to that task.

He started as he suddenly remembered that two levels below him Turles was lying in a ki-restricting cell, still unconscious from the blow he was dealt. What was he going to do with that whelp? He couldn't very well kill the brat, despite his obvious desire to murder and destroy anything in his path. The fact that he was Bardock's brother was the only thing that had prevented him from killing the boy back on the 'Mother' planet.

It was a good thing he had refrained from killing him, because now that he thought about it, it was highly likely that Turles was merely misguided. He had an obvious advantage in strength over the boy, so perhaps while he trained Seripa, he could also try and get Turles to turn over a new leaf. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility, because again he had told the truth when he said the boy acted just like Bardock had at that age. That meant that there was still a chance for Turles to change. And maybe even hone his skill and utilize his extraordinary strength sufficiently.

Tettuce smirked as he thought about the damage that Turles could have done to him if he had had just a bit more experience. If he'd used his head he could have put Tettuce on the defensive right out the gate and could have held the upper hand for a few minutes. If he could convince him to change his ways and agree to help in the defense of the last of their kind, then the boy would prove to be a valuable asset in the future. He could train the boy _and_ train Seripa, which would help speed up Seripa's progress.

He nodded approvingly as he finalized his plans. Just as soon as Turles was conscious, he would speak with him and see what the boy thought about it. Of course, initially the brat was most likely to reject the offer vehemently. There would probably be a demonstration of hatred and anger as the teenager would no doubt throw a fit and would most likely proceed to act like a complete maniac.

Tettuce grimaced at the thought of dealing with that and sighed. He hated children; he hated teenagers even more. They were stubborn smartasses who thought they were smarter than adults many decades their senior. Bardock had been that way; Turles was that way; even Tettuce had acted the same way when he was a teenager. It had taken six years to straighten Bardock out; he shuddered to imagine how long it would take to change Turles in that case.

Taking that into consideration, he was now having second thoughts about training Turles. He closed his eyes and sighed again, shaking his head slowly. He was daft and a fool for being willing to attempt such a feat. He knew he could handle Seripa moderately well. She was just as stubborn as Bardock, but she also seemed to be much more reasonable than his hard-headed protégé had been.

No, wait, scratch that. She was just as unreasonable as Bardock had been to so adamantly demand training, despite knowing she was severely out-classed. She had witnessed the destruction of Planet Vegeta first-hand, so she had personally seen that Frieza was at a level that she couldn't even dream of, yet.

"Gah," he said quietly as he scratched both sides of his head irritably. He had every right to be irritated! He had just decided to take on two—not one, but two—new apprentices and he knew that there was no way he could back out of it now, even if he _was _the only person who knew of his decision. He would never forgive himself if he backed out of something he recognized as a challenge. Never before in his life had he backed down from a challenge; there was no point in stopping now this late in the game. He knew it was foolish, but he had no choice. No saiyan—male or female—could go against their pride.

He yawned and rolled onto his side and shifted over until he felt Aurah's warmth against his bare chest. He wrapped his arms around her tiny form in a gentle, but protective embrace, and still cursing his foolish self, Tettuce slowly drifted off to sleep.

_**DBZ**_

Tettuce grumbled as the ship shuddered lightly. He had just finished dressing for the day when he was alerted that both Aurah's ship, and the damaged ship had come to a dead float because the latter needed immediate engine repairs, which happened to be one of Tettuce's specialty's and no one else's.

It was a frustrating and alarming situation, he noted sourly as he stood before the airlock hatch, waiting for the pilots of the two ships to finish docking them together. To think that it was allowed for someone as important as Aurah to travel anywhere without anyone among her crew who knew how to maintain the ship. It was inexcusable, and he was going to make sure that was changed once they made it back to Glyder. For now his expertise would have to do.

The hatch to the airlock suddenly split open with a loud hiss, interrupting his thoughts and catching him by surprise. A cool flow of air blew through his hair as he waited for the doors to open completely, before he stepped into the hatch. He closed the door behind him and stared across the chamber at the hull door, less than five feet from him.

When the doors finally shut with an accompanying hiss, he closed his eyes. This was always his least favorite part. The hull door opened, and the air was suddenly and violently sucked out, almost pulling him against his will towards the now open door. An instant later the experience was over and he opened his eyes with a sigh, as he stepped out into a clear tube that connected the two ships together. He had gone through the chamber aerating numerous times before, but it never failed to freak him out. Despite knowing that the airlock doors would never open if anything wasn't sealed properly, he still had to deal with those 'what-if' thoughts going through his head.

Keeping his eyes on the open hatch of the other ship, Tettuce managed to avoid looking out into space before reaching the safety of the other ship. He finally emerged out of the airlock on the other ship and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he remembered he'd have to do it again when he returned.

Damn.

_**DBZ**_

_Bardock sat miserably with his head resting against the headrest of his pod seat. Blood flowed freely down the sides of his face from a blood-red bandana wrapped around his forehead. His signature black and green armor was barely clinging to his body via the lone left shoulder strap. Blood and filth covered his tanned and toned muscles._

_His onyx eyes stared dazedly at nothing; his broad chest rose slowly and laboriously with each worn out breath he took. Slowly he lifted his right hand, in which he tightly clutched a small black box. He gave the box a gentle squeeze and a light flashed between his fingers, before a tiny holographic projection of him and his team appeared, with a young boy standing at the forefront. He focused his glassy eyes on the young boy and his eyelids twitched._

"_Raditz…" he closed his eyes with a sigh, clicking off the image as he did. "Grow strong. Kakarrot, you, too…My sons…" _

_He sighed again and set the box aside. Opening his eyes he leaned forward to press a button on the console of his pod door._

"_Tettuce." He said in a low, weary voice._

"Bardock?"_ answered a sudden stern, bewildered voice from the console._

"_Yeah, it's me." Bardock sighed as he leaned back in his seat once more._

"What do you think you're doing opening a channel like this? You cou—"

"_I don't fuckin' care," he snapped, interrupting his former mentor._

_Silence…_

"There better be a damn good reason why you just disrespected me, Bardock," _Tettuce responded dangerously over the intercom._

_Bardock snorted and said through clenched teeth, "Don't waste your breath threatening me, old man. There's no point and no time."_

_There was another stretch of silence over the intercom, and then Tettuce responded in a much calmer voice, _"What do you mean?"

_Bardock smirked at the change in his teacher's voice. He had obviously recognized that this was an emergency. If Bardock thought it was an emergency, then damn it, it was an emergency!_

_"You can threaten me, but I doubt you ever get another shot at kickin' my ass. I just fought Dodoria and his personal lackeys back on a planet called Meat." Bardock sniffed and lifted a hand to rub a trickle of blood away before it could drip down to his lips. "My team's bodies are still there. That's why I contacted you, actually."_

"What?" _Tettuce's voice was tense and confused. It was obvious he had no idea what was going on._

_"I'm on my way to the home planet, old man. Frieza is headed there now to destroy our home. I gotta stop him. Swing by Planet Meat and honor my team, for me. They were a good bunch. Strong, loyal, stubborn…" he trailed off into silence. _

_Just as Bardock heard his former teacher speak, he spoke, interrupting him again, "They killed my apprentice, Tettuce."_

_The surprise in Tettuce's voice was apparent when he said, _"I never thought you'd take on a student. He must've shown serious potential."

_Bardock smiled, "She did." He chuckled when he heard Tettuce exclaim _"A woman?" _in surprise. "Yes, a woman. A very…unique woman. She wasn't one of the stronger members of my team, but she was definitely the smartest. She may have been lacking in strength, but she was so clever in battle that it was very difficult for her to be taken down, even by enemies twice as powerful as her."_

_Bardock chuckled, "Seripa…her power reading may have been low, old man, but…" he trailed off for a moment, then smiled and closed his eyes. "But she was the strongest person I've ever met."_

"Sounds like she was a promising student, indeed." _Tettuce murmured in response. A silence stretched between the two of them._

"_Tettuce, I need to ask another favor of you." said Bardock quietly._

"Anything." _His former mentor said automatically._

"_My son, Raditz. He was off on the Cadet planet, so he'll be away from the battle. Find him and train him, like you trained me so long ago."_

"You know I swore I'd never take another protégé." _Tettuce replied quietly. _"But I will do you this favor." _He fell silent again._

_Bardock grinned to himself, "You haven't said a word to try and stop me from going after Frieza."_

"Not because I don't want to. I know it's useless to try and talk you out of it, Bardock. You've been thick-headed your entire life. I don't expect that to have changed, so there's no sense in wasting my breath. Right?"

_Bardock laughed out loud, holding the side of his bloodied head with one hand, "You still know me far too well, old man. You're right, though," he said with a much more serious tone, but a smile remained on his face. "I've already made up my mind. I owe it to the lizard for what he did to my team. But most of all, I owe it to them." He suddenly sighed. "I wish you could have met them, old man. Especially Seripa." He chuckled and shook his head, "I'm gettin' soft in my old age, ain't I?"_

_Tettuce didn't respond, but Bardock hadn't expected him to. He had said the exact same line shortly before his exile. _

"_See you around, old man." Bardock said as casually as he could. He leaned forward to kill the connection. Just as his finger touched the console, his former mentor replied._

"Goodbye, old friend."

_Bardock killed the connection, his onyx eyes staring intensely out the red-tinted port hole of his space pod. _Vegeta_ loomed in the distance. _

_As well as the ominous form of Frieza's awaiting ship._

_**DBZ**_

"Strange," murmured the young, female gylderian medical officer that was monitoring Seripa's recovery. She was standing next to the recovering saiyan female's tank looking over her vitals, her pale yellow brows knitted together, creasing the smooth surface of her dull silver skin. Her red-pupil and green-iris eyes left the screen and peered into the clear liquid at the sleeping form of Seripa. For all intents and purposes she looked to be recovering peacefully.

"Her brain-wave patterns are erratic," she mumbled to herself as she returned her gaze to the screen, carefully sifting through the vital information. "And according to the history these patterns are becoming _increasingly_ erratic. Hm…"

She stepped back and folded her arms across her stomach. She lifted one hand to tap lightly on her chin as she stared thoughtfully at the sleeping woman.

"Those must be some intense dreams to be causing those kind of fluctuations." She continued to stare at the chamber quietly for several seconds, before she finally shrugged. "Oh well." She turned away from the tank and found herself face-to-face with a young man sporting some of the wildest black hair she had ever seen.

Stepping back, she let out a small gasp of surprise. She regarded the boy for a moment before finally recognizing him as a saiyan.

"Oh, you startled me. You must be from the other ship, right?"

"No. Actually, I just broke out of the brig on this ship," Turles said with a grin.

"What?" she had time to say in surprise before he backhanded her across the room. She slammed into a cluster of medical equipment, causing a shower of sparks to rain down on her as she lay unmoving in their midst.

He stared after her with a grim expression on his face. He sighed and stumbled over to Seripa's chamber, placing one hand upon the smooth white surface of the tank and the other against his head. He stared into the tank with the same grim expression.

"I'm still rocked from that blow that bastard dealt me," he grumbled to himself. His head was aching and his stomach felt like it had been hit by a space pod at full speed. Tettuce had indeed done quite a number on him.

"But the stupid fool left me alive. _And _he left the ship." He chuckled as he looked over Seripa's naked form. "My brother had good taste in women, at least."

He took a deep breath and drew away from the tank. Raising his right hand he smirked at her, "You'll wake up eventually, but it won't be in time to stop me." With that said he drove his hand into the control panel and immediately ripped it back out with a handful of wires clenched in a tight fist. Sparks flash from the damaged panel and the word 'Error' flashed repeatedly on the control display.

"Later bitch." He turned with a laughed and hurried out of the medical bay.

Inside the chamber, Seripa's eyebrows suddenly knitted together and air bubbles escaped violently from between her mask and her cheeks.

Trapped within the damaged chamber, she is left with no reprieve from her continuous stream of nightmares.

_**DBZ**_

Tettuce was pissed.

He had barely set foot on the bridge when he and everyone else was sent sprawling by the ship bucking wildly out of nowhere. After the first few initial moments of shock it didn't take long for him to realize what had happened, and even less time for him to become extremely irate.

Aurah's ship was gone; the sudden bucking had been caused by the other ship's sudden transition into hyper-space. Tettuce's mood didn't improve when he realized that in order for him to give chase he had to repair the busted engines.

And now, more than two hours later, the ship was barely sustaining the minimum speed required for a hyper-space jump. They ship rocked and groaned as Tettuce grumbled under his breath.

Beside him at the helm, Lessbru piloted the ship with a skilled hand. Every so often he was making adjustments to the output of the engines.

"What is our speed, pilot?" Tettuce asked suddenly and very irritably.

Lessbru winced and barely suppressed a groan. That had to have been the tenth time he'd been asked that question. And for the tenth time he responded, "Hyper 1, sir. Engines are running at 68%." He glanced up at the taller man apologetically. "I am rerouting power where I can, but I don't think I can manage to get more than 72 to 73% out of them. They've taken too much damage and abuse recently."

"At this speed we'll never fucking catch them!" the warrior suddenly snapped.

"I doubt that's going to matter, sir," said Lessbru quietly. He had happened to take a glance at the radar and now his eyes were glued to it.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"There's a ship gaining on us. They are in hyper-space, too."

Tettuce looked to the radar sharply and his lips drew into a thin line suddenly, his brows coming together sharply.

"Frieza…"

_**DBZ**_

Amotto stuck her head out in the hallway and glanced around, before retreating back in the medical bay.

"Still clear?" asked Broco from where he crouched in front of Seripa's tank, his thick fingers expertly picking amongst the torn, frayed, and burnt wires. All around him lay piles of stripped circuit boards and crystals that he had torn from some of the various pieces of medical equipment strewn about the room.

She glanced at Broco before moving over to kneel beside the young medical officer Turles had knocked around earlier.

"Yeah. I'm sure he's pretty preoccupied with Lady Aurah at the moment. How do you feel?" she asked of the medical officer.

The woman ran a hand through her long, yellow hair and groaned quietly. "I'll live."

Amotto nodded to her, and stood and walked over to Broco. "Any progress?"

He shrugged his massive shoulders with a sigh, "I can only do so much, but yes. I think I'll be able to open the door—quarter to a half hour at the latest."

She nodded and sighed as well, "I suppose we should be thankful that he didn't destroy the chamber with her inside it."

"Yeah, I'm surprised he didn't." Broco admitted with a frown. His single eye flashed to her briefly, before returning immediately to his work.

"Me, too. That's why we should be thankful." She looked into the chamber at Seripa. The trapped woman had wrapped her arms about herself as if she were cold. Every few seconds her eyelids would twitch. Sometimes the twitches would coincide with a stream of bubbles releasing from her mask.

Amotto frowned. "You think the three of us can take Turles, Broco?"

"Not really, to be honest." He sighed. "But that didn't stop Seripa from fighting him before, so I don't see how backing down would be an option." He paused in his work and glanced up at her with a fierce grin, made twice as fierce by the gruesome battle scar across his left eye. "I don't know about you, but I feel stronger than I've ever felt before."

"Yeah me, too." Amotto admitted. They had both just left recovery themselves, having had to spend a day each in a chamber.

"It might not be much, but every little bit will help." Broco returned his gaze to the circuit boards and naked wires.

"Yeah, that's true." She sighed again. She sat beside him for a moment before standing and walking back to look out into the hallway.

"Let's just hope it'll be enough."

_**DBZ**_

_(Uh oh, Frieza has entered the mix. What could his appearance possibly mean for our heroes? Probably certain death, but hey! They might luck out. Right?….Right?...Damn. Next time all hell just might break loose…IN SPACE. O.o As always, reviews are welcomed! Until next chapter, Individual Lies out! **Update:** Sorry about this. I'm sure some of you are wondering why i started referring to them as saiyans in this chapter, rather than saiya-jin. Well, to be honest...I got tired of typing saiya-jin. . Plus, that's the traditional japanese reference, and while I like to pay my respects to that version as much as I can, not referring to them as saiyans just didn't fit the rest of the story in my mind. I don't know, it might be my ADD acting up here, so yeah...I dunno. lol I apologize for any confusion.)_


	7. Falling Again

_**Chapter Seven: Falling Again**_

"_I pray, looking to the sky  
I can feel this rain  
right now it's falling on me  
fly, I just want to fly  
life is all mine  
some days I cry alone,  
but I know I'm not the only one  
I'm here and another day is gone  
I don't want to die...  
Please be there when I'll arrive _

_Don't cry... please"_

_ Falling Again – Lacuna Coil_

_**DBZ**_

_Wrapping her arms tighter about her shivering frame, Seripa ducked her head against the frigid chill of the fierce winds that buffeted her relentlessly. Her mind was still reeling from reliving the last twelve years of her life, so she just kind of stumbled around the apparently empty planet she had awoken on. _

_ Before she came here she had been on Planet Meat again with her team. Again she had to watch each of them die before her eyes while she was spared; spared by a fortunate stroke of luck, while her friends all died. Despite herself, she sighed, a shiver running up and down her spine. _

_ The wind began to let up, she noticed, so she lifted her head to look around. She had been walking down a road she had happened upon. On either side of the road were what appeared to have been trees of some sort; but for as far as she had walked, she had not seen one that wasn't burned to a crisp. Where ever she had wound up, it was obviously a dead planet._

_ Looking ahead she noticed that the road started to incline into a hill. As her eyes followed the road to the crest of the hill she noticed a shimmer across the sky. It seemed to be a reflection of something from just over the hill. _

_ All of a sudden the fierce winds vanished; leaving her standing in the middle of a road hunkered down amidst nothing but silence. Standing straight, she started up the hill and towards the source of that light. Whatever it was, it just had to be the key to whatever was happening to her. She had just relived the best and worst moments of her life up until the annihilation of her race. Now she was on an unfamiliar planet, no longer trapped in the hell of her memories. But wait. Looking around as she walked on, she noticed that the planet did look vaguely familiar. Especially the sky, but she just couldn't place why it was familiar. _

_ She sighed and closed her eyes as she reached the top of the hill, and started down the other side. As the ground sloped down away from her, she opened her eyes again as she stumbled a bit. _

_ Seripa immediately paused._

_ At the bottom of the hill, the road led to a small pool of the clearest water she had ever seen in her life. Not to mention the pool was giving off the light that was still reflected across the dark sky. The small body of water was rimmed by a line of trees surrounding it in a semi-circle; the treetops combined together in a canopy that would have hid the water completely from view had the leaves and most of the branches not been blasted off. It was obvious now that the planet had suffered a violent attack. But from who, she was still unsure. _

_ She let her violet hues linger on the pool for a moment. She glanced around briefly just to verify she was alone, then continued down the slope to the water's edge. She crouched down beside it, her eyes trying to pierce into the depths. The water was clear, but with so little light she could not see more than a few feet below the surface; even with the shimmering light it was emitting. _

_ Seripa sat fully on the stone of the road and sighed as she stared across the water. As far as she could tell it was just a normal pool of water. Sure it was glowing, but nothing else about it seemed mysterious. There were obviously no answers lying in wait for her, here._

_ Suddenly there was a violent splash as the figure of a man burst from beneath the surface, his arms clawing wildly at the air in panic. He dropped back into the water, submerging completely before reappearing gasping for air and fighting to untangle a mess of knotted black hair that had gotten wrapped all around his face. _

_ She stared in silent shock as the man waded aimlessly in her direction. He apparently hadn't noticed her thanks to still fighting with his hair._

_ As Seripa stood up, the man finally freed the tangles and brushed his hair back the best he could; it was a lot to work with, as most of it hung down to his shoulders. He looked up when she moved and she gasped when she saw the scarred face looking up at her in confusion._

_ "Who are you?" he queried gruffly, pausing several meters from the shore._

_ She blinked and shook her head slowly, "What do you mean?"_

_ "Kinda obvious what I mean: who the hell are you?" he said with a sharper tone, but there was also a hint of caution she noticed._

_ She looked down slowly, then lifted her eyes to meet his, which surprised the man._

_ "You should know me, Bardock."_

_ "'Bardock'?" he echoed. Then, "That's my name?"_

_ Seripa frowned in concern, "You don't know your own name?"_

_ The man shrugged and glanced around, "No, I don't. Not sure where I am, either. Or how I got here. All I know is that I woke up in a bubble at the bottom of this pool. It popped and then I was at the surface." He frowned and looked upon her again. "There's a word on my mind, too. It's the only thing that I remember, but I don't get it. Do you know what '_Kanassa'_ means?"_

_ Her eyes widened and Seripa looked around at the visible landscape. That was it! That's why the planet had looked familiar: she was on Kanassa! She closed her eyes and chuckled under her breath. It should have been obvious._

_ She opened her eyes and mouth to respond, but suddenly found herself underwater. A stream of bubbles escaped her mouth as she suddenly began to sink like a rock into an endless darkness below her. She lashed out, straining to reach a surface that she couldn't see…_

_**DBZ**_

"Ow! Gods-damn it, Seripa! You're too strong for this! Broco help me hold her!" Amotto shouted as she struggled to hold the violently-thrashing woman. She was still within the chamber. Broco had just emptied the tank and opened the hatch when she suddenly began to freak out. Amotto had jumped in to try and restrain her, but it did little good.

Broco jumped in beside the green-haired woman, and grabbed hold of Seripa's shoulders. He didn't get a good hold, and her flailing fist nailed him in his nose and sent him sprawling.

"Seripa! Wake up!" Amotto struggled to hold onto her friend's other arm, but it was proving useless. "Gods-damn it!" she suddenly reached up and slapped the woman hard enough to make her head slam into the back of the chamber. She immediately went still.

She blinked and straightened up, pulling Seripa out of the chamber as she did so; her eyes were open and she was looking around franticly.

"You're okay, Seripa."

"W-w-what h-happened?" she asked through chattering teeth as the two women sank to the floor in front of the chamber.

Amotto wrapped her arms around her, trying to share some of her warmth. Seripa's body was ice-cold!

"Turles woke up and fucked up your recovery chamber. Broco just fixed it. How are you feeling?"

"C-c-cold." Was her simple answer. She rested her head against Amotto's chest, the memory of the amnesiac Bardock still vivid in her mind. As well as the feeling of suffocation that had come over her suddenly. She realized now that it was the chamber emptying, and the air supply being cut off that had triggered that aspect of her dream.

But what about Bardock? Had that been a dream? What about everything else? Most she would have called memories from her own mind, but others she had no recollection of.

And of course she didn't have time to sit around and analyze her dreams; she had to get dressed and get ready to fight Turles.

Again.

She sighed and slowly drew away from Amotto. "Okay, I need armor."

"Here."

Seripa blinked and turned to see a gylderian female standing behind her holding a pile of folded armor out to her.

"Thanks. Who are you?" she asked as she stood up and started to pull her under armor on.

"Sushinae. I'm the medical officer that was on duty when Turles paid you a visit," she grimaced and rubbed the back of her neck, "I guess I should have listened to Falmer and Zether when they told me to train."

"It never hurts to be prepared," said Seripa with a slight smile.

"With those two, yes it does. You don't know how gung-ho my brothers are about power," the young woman said with an amused tone.

Seripa laughed as she pulled her new battlejacket (she sure did seem to be going through quite a few of these things recently) on over her head. "You should've met my captain. He absolutely demanded that we strive for greater power."

"Bardock. Yes, I did a report on him back on University. He was trained by Lady Aurah's mate, Tettuce, and was of a more remarkable breed than most other saiyans."

Sushinae smiled at the surprised look on the other woman's face, "Surprised?"

"You can say that. Why did you do a report on him?" she asked in bewilderment.

"Ugh, I don't mean to intrude, but Turles is number one priority, right?" asked Broco wearily as he climbed to his feet. The hit had knocked him out apparently, but he was standing now. Shakily, but he seemed to be okay.

Seripa grimaced as she looked at him, "I did that to you, didn't I?"

He gave her a slight smile, "It's okay. I've been through worse," he said, with a gesture towards his scarred-up eye.

"Right." she looked from him to Amoto, then to Sushinae. "Well, a rag-tag bunch if I've ever seen it, but we should be alright."

"Wait. 'We?' " asked Sushinae with wide eyes. "You want me to fight, too?"

Amoto stepped over and placed her hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. We'll watch out for you," she smiled and glanced towards Seripa. "And having Seripa to lead us will make all the difference, anyway."

"Ha, yeah, you can put your faith in me." Seripa said with a roll of her eyes. She didn't like being the leader, but once again she found herself in that position.

"Just try not to destroy this ship," Broco chuckled.

"I won-Wait. How did you two get on this ship?" Seripa frowned between the two of them as she remembered that they had been taken aboard their ship prior to takeoff. "And why hasn't Tettuce done anything about this?"  
"Ah, well…"Amoto scratched the back of her neck, "Our ship broke down, so Tettuce went aboard to fix it. While the ships were docked together, Broco and I came aboard to visit you. It wasn't long after that that Turles hijacked this ship."

"Yeah," agreed Broco. "Amoto and I saw Turles as he left the medical bay, and we hid before he could spot us. We wanted to try and stop him, but after his last attack we both knew that would have been senseless. So we came in here to try and repair your chamber."

"You say 'we', but you did all that, Broco," said Amoto.

He shrugged, "And you handled Seripa when she freaked out."

"I don't think that counts as repairing the rejuvenation chamber." She arched a brow and glanced at Seripa.

She grinned and folded her arms across her chest. "Well, either way, I think we have more important things to do than bicker about who fixed the chamber."

"Right. So what's the plan?"

"Hm." She didn't answer immediately. Instead her eyes shifted to stare at the ceiling over their heads. "I wish I had a scouter," she said finally.

"Why?" asked Sushinae with a puzzled look on her face.

"Because, then I would know exactly where Turles was."

"Oh. Well…" Sushinae turned and looked up with a frown, "Hm…He's over there," she pointed towards a section of the ceiling at the farthest end of the room, directly over where a pile of destroyed medical equipment was laying.

Seripa looked at her in surprise, "How do you know that?"

"Oh, I can read power levels."

The three saiyans all exchanged glances before looking at the gylderian woman again.

She blinked in surprise at the confused expressions they were giving her, "What?"

"Tettuce said he could read them, too," said Seripa. "How is that?"

"Oh, heh. Well, my brother, Zether, learned how to do it while on the gylderian Writ of Passage. When he returned he insisted that everyone in the gylderian military learn the skill."

"I'm still lost."

Sushinae giggled sheepishly, "Well, it's hard to explain. I can…well, sense a person's ki level, I suppose. Like, for instance, I can tell you that you are easily the strongest person in this room. Then you, and you," she said as she pointed at Amoto and Broco, respectively.

Amoto blinked in shock and glanced at the scar-faced man, "Since when am I stronger than you?"

He flashed her a grin and shrugged his bulky shoulders, "Since you took a hellacious beating from Turles, I guess."

Seripa quirked an eyebrow and shrugged herself, "I will have to learn how to do that, I guess. But for now, is there anyone standing near him?"

Sushinae glanced in the direction she'd indicated previously and frowned, "Lady Aurah is near to him, but I'm not sure how close. I think they're by the thrones. Why do you ask?" she finished as she turned to look back at Seripa.

Seripa didn't answer. She looked up at the ceiling and clenched her fists. Immediately a light violet aura burst to life around her body and she launched herself towards the ceiling, with the others all crying out in surprise. She ignored them, though. In order for her plan to work she had to catch Turles off guard. And he had already proven once that he was much more clever than he let on.

She threw her arms out ahead of her, and her powerful fists punched through the steel of the ceiling and she flew up into the bridge, much to the surprise of the many occupants.

Wheeling around she was delighted to see the horrified look of shock on Turles' face. Without hesitation she angled around and charged at him, throwing her hand forward at him to fire off a weak ki blast.

He caught it and canceled it out, glaring at her as she charged him.

"Are you crazy?"

"Maybe!" she yelled as she slammed both fists into his unguarded chest. She had hoped to throw him back, but he steeled himself at the last second and instantly stopped her movement.

He grabbed her wrists and met her violet eyes with his narrowed black ones.

"This is my ship, now, bitch. And obviously I'm still much stronger than you, so this was pointless."

Seripa's aura vanished and she dropped her feet to the floor, but she didn't try to free her wrists.

"What, you're not going to respond? Did you think you could actually take me?"

She smirked, which pissed him off. "Considering the number that Tettuce did on you, I know that I can take you."

"Feh, yeah right. I stopped you and your blast without a lick of effort."

"That's 'cause I wasn't trying. But let's change that." Her aura suddenly flared to life again, catching him off guard. But he still held firmly to her wrists. She lunged forward, slamming her forehead into his unguarded face. She grinned with satisfaction when she both heard and felt his nose break.

He immediately released her wrists and staggered back cursing loudly at her as he clutched his face with both hands. He glared at her from behind his cupped hands as blood seeped through his fingers.

"Ha, look, I made the brat bleed," she taunted as she spread her feet and took a stance. "Come on, Turles. Let's play." She laughed aloud.

He snarled at her as he lowered his arms. His nose was crooked now, and blood was steadily streaming from both nostrils.

"I hope you know that I plan to kill you, Seripa."

She shrugged, her gaze never wavering from him. She was doing her best to put up a confident front, but she knew that he still had more power than she did. Still, that didn't change the fact that she had no fear towards him.

"You can try to kill me, but you're going to fail, Turles."

"Oh yeah?" he sneered. "And why is that?"

"Because."

"….Because?" he echoed.

"Yep. Because." She flashed him a fierce grin. "You can't hurt me."

"Oh, I beg to differ." He said in a low, dangerous, voice. His words were a bit garbled because of the damage to his nose, but for the most part he could still speak clearly.

"Well, I don't!"

He snapped his head to the side just in time to see an outstretched fist flying towards his face. He jumped back and Amoto flew by, cursing that she had missed. But Turles didn't have time to gloat about that as he had to dodge a kick aimed for his nose. His gaze followed Broco and Amoto as they each went to stand by Seripa.

The other two fell into stances on either side of Seripa and he growled low in his throat at them.

"You fools!" he spat at them. "I could kill you in one go if I wanted."

"Then prove it," Seripa responded, her smile now gone and her tone cold. "I know how you fight now, and so do they. The three of us combined can take you."

Turles stared across the bridge at them in silence. He lifted one hand and wiped some of the blood from his nose on the back of his glove, then spit out a mouthful of blood onto the floor. He lowered his arm to his side and smirked.

"You are hopeless, Seripa. You just don't get it, do you? My power reading is well over 20,000 at this point. Yours…well, yours is laughable by comparison."

"Actually, Seripa's power level is well over 8000 at this point," said Sushinae from where she stood by Lady Aurah.

"And mine is 10,000 even," said Lady Aurah. She grabbed a fold of her robe and threw it off to reveal her silver and gold battle jacket over her solid silver bodysuit.

Turles stared in open-mouthed shock as Aurah moved to stand beside Amoto.

"Lady Aurah," began Burgah from the pilot seat, but a motion of her hand silenced him.

Seripa glanced briefly from Turles to Aurah, and she smirked again. Her gaze traveled back to him and she allowed herself to grin. "Not liking the odds, are you, Turles?"

He narrowed his eyes in response and looked back to her coldly, "It doesn't make any difference. I will still kill you all. Starting right now!"

And with that he brought up both arms and without hesitating fired off a massive blue blast straight for them all. He really intended to kill them with one shot!

Seripa's eyes widened as the blast flew at them. Aurah was the most powerful of their group, but she was the most experienced when it came to battle. That much was evident as she lunged forward, crossing her arms together in front of her. At the same time she poured as much of her ki as she could into her forearms and legs, bracing for the impact of the blast. Any other day it would have been suicide to attempt such a feat, but it was either that or let the foolish boy blow them and half the ship away.

The beam slammed into her ki-charged arms, and she grimaced as the force of it threatened to overtake her. But she wasn't about to let that happen. Initially the blast sent her sliding backwards across the bridge, so she poured more ki into her legs and she felt the steel beneath her feet begin to buckle and ripple as she struggled to stop the movement of the blast. Closing her eyes tight and steeling herself, she poured what ki she had left into her forearms just as she felt the heel of her left foot strike against the far wall…

Opening her eyes she was briefly surprised, then elated, to find that she had succeeded in stopping the blast. Looking up past it she saw that Turles was in shock. He had obviously expected her to be blown to bits, but not today. She forced a grin and slowly began to step forward, pushing the blast back towards Turles with her crossed forearms. They were bare and bleeding from the intensity of the beam, but for now her ki was keeping the true devastation at bay.

"Come on, Seripa!" Her eyes flickered to either side of her and she could see that the occupants of the bridge had formed a semi-circle on either side of the power struggle. She grimaced and glanced back to Turles to see him focusing on his end of the blast. She was still walking forward, albeit slowly, when a ripple of power shot the length of the blast and slammed into her forearms.

It was so powerful that she was briefly lifted from her feet, but the second they met with the steel she dug in with everything she had, feeling her muscles and bones threatening to give out. But she absolutely refused to let this little brat beat her. Not again.

Her back met the wall, and the steel caved in around her, giving in under the combined force of her ki pushing backwards, and the blast compounding on that. But that was it. She remained pressed into the indention, her forearms still somehow keeping the blast at bay. Gritting her teeth, she slowly took a step. Then another and another, slowly pushing the ki blast back towards its owner again.

"What?" Turles' roar of disbelief and anger echoed around the bridge as he watched her, once more, begin to push the blast back towards him. "How?" It didn't make sense to him. She should have been incinerated the second she tried to catch the blast. His power was so much greater than hers! With a roar of rage he called up more of his ki to pour into the blast, but a twinge in his gut briefly caused him to drop to a knee. He stared at the floor with wide eyes, still pouring as much energy as he could into the blast.

That was it, it had to be. Tettuce really had injured him greater than he had thought. His power reading was so high that Seripa and the others all should be dead right now, but no. Here he was, on a knee at that, struggling to blow her away and all she was doing was pushing the blast back towards him. This couldn't be. He had eaten the fruit from the Tree of Might! He had the power to kill her! But that damned Tettuce had hindered him. Oh well, he would deal with him later. Right now he had to focus on Seripa.

Lifting his gaze from the floor, he leveled it on her. She was now less than fifteen feet away from him and still moving forward. That wouldn't do, he decided. He stood back up and once again tried to call up and pour the necessary ki into the blast. This time there was a bit more success, he noticed, as the blast bulged with power…

From out of nowhere a thin golden beam lanced towards him. Startled by the distraction, he had to release his hold on his blast to dodge it. It dissipated as it blew by him, and he cursed, realizing he'd been fooled by a distraction. Quickly he glanced towards Seripa, and her fist slammed into his face.

He landed on his back and immediately flipped up to his feet, but Seripa didn't let up. She charged in headlong, her fists and feet a flurry of punches and kicks. Turles dodged the majority of them, but she did manage to get in a few weak kicks to his side. They did little more than irritate him, she noticed.

"Enough!" he cried, and a shockwave erupted from his body, blowing her backwards. She flipped around to land on her feet in front of Amoto and the others.

She allowed herself a smile as she watched Turles glare at them, his chest heaving with each breath he took. He had expended most of his energy trying to vaporize her, so now he was considerably less dangerous than before.

"What's the matter, brat?" she crowed. "Can't handle someone far weaker than yourself?"

He grit his teeth and clenched both fists, "If it wasn't for Tettuce I would have killed you already!" His rage was more than apparent at this point.

The sudden sound of clapping drew their attention from one another and to the bridge's main viewscreen. Silence fell across the bridge as everyone's blood ran cold at the image they were beholding.

Staring back at them from the viewscreen, and clapping quietly, with a bemused smirk on his face, was Frieza. Behind him stood his two lackeys, Dodoria and Zarbon.

_"My my, what a show. I have not enjoyed watching monkeys bicker since before _Plant Vegeta _met its untimely destruction."_

No one responded. Seripa glanced around to Aurah to see her glaring daggers at the lizard. She looked from her and to Turles to see that he had gone pale, and had sank to the floor. Her gaze left him and returned to the viewscreen just as Frieza spoke again.

_"No one has anything to say? My, how disrespectful. Zarbon, what should be done about this, hm?"_

Zarbon smiled softly and chuckled low under his breath, _"Perhaps we should give them a reason to be silent, Lord Frieza. For instance, perhaps we should…blow up their ship."_

"The hell you will!" Seripa couldn't help but cry out. She took a few steps toward the viewscreen, her eyes set and unwavering. She ignored the whispers from around her and the looks being sent her way. She had sworn to resist Frieza to her last breath. So it was either she stood there in silence, or she said something. To be fair she would have preferred to have remained silent and not drawn his attention to her, but it would have happened sooner or later anyway.

If she expected Frieza to be angry by her outburst, she would have been wrong. Instead he seemed amused. _"Oh? And just what do you expect to be able to do to prevent it?"_

"Well, for one, I plan to rip his head off," she motioned toward Dodoria, "and I plan to kill you."

Dodoria snarled at her, but Frieza merely laughed. _"I like this Saiyan female. She has more courage than either of you do," _ he said offhandedly to his lackeys.

Dodoria growled again, _"Like hell you'll rip my head off, bitch. I haven't met a Saiyan, yet, that could stand against me."_

"Well, times change you fat, pink, tub of shit." She said with a slight smile. "My name is Seripa, and I want you to commit that to memory."

The pink monster glared at her, then frowned in confusion, _"Seripa…?" _ His eyes widened and he glanced at Frieza quickly.

Seripa followed his gaze to see that Frieza was no longer smiling, and was instead casting Dodoria a glare.

_"Wasn't Seripa one of those Saiyans you were supposed to kill on Planet Meat? What's that make…two monkeys that have survived your attacks? And both from the same group, how interesting." _ He smiled slightly and returned his gaze to her. _"Bardock…he was your captain, was he not?"_

"He was," she said proudly, standing up straighter.

Frieza chuckled, _"I can see that you idolize him." _He gestured to her armor.

Frowning slightly, she glanced down and blinked in surprise. She hadn't noticed it before, but the armor she had been given greatly resembled her former mate's. It was the same color, the same design and everything. The only difference was that hers was obviously made for females. Smiling, she looked back up and that smile turned into a smirk.

"Damn straight. I am proud to have been a member of his team."

Again, the lizard chuckled. _"You are an interesting little female. It is too bad that you won't survive this encounter. I would very much like to make you a member of my own, personal, group. I think you would an excellent addition to my collection."  
_Seripa raised one hand and flashed her middle finger at him. She held it up long enough for the message to sink in before she dropped her hand to her side.

"That's what I think of you and that idea."

Frieza laughed out loud at that. _"That is exactly why I would like for you to join my collection! I would so very much enjoy breaking that spirit of yours," _he grinned at her, narrowing his eyes slowly. _"But as much fun as this conversation has been…it is time for you all to die. Zarbon, order the gunners to fire at will."_

_ "Yes, Lord Frieza." _ Zarbon turned with a whisk of his cape, and strode away.

_"Dodoria…go to the gravity room. As punishment I want you to train under…30…times Standard gravity." _

_ "30 times Standard? But sire, that is-"_

_ "Dodoria…" _Frieza's tone was low, and he only said the one word, but it was enough to shut the pink beast up.

He nodded meekly, _"Yes, Lord Frieza," _then turned and shuffled away.

Frieza smiled at them. _"I suppose this is goodbye."_

Seripa clenched her fists. "What? You don't have the balls to come and face us in person?"

He was silent as he continued to smile at them…at her. _"Is that what you want?"_

"Yeah, why not? If I am to die today, I'd rather die fighting you!" she emphasized her desire by pointing at him.

Frieza's smile split into a grin, _"So be it. Zarbon! Belay that order!" _ And with that, the screen went black.

"Oh…shit," murmured Seripa as she realized exactly what she had just done. She glanced around at the others. Then she spotted Burgah leaning heavily on the back of his pilot's chair.

"I've got an idea!" she glanced questioningly at Aurah, who nodded, then she turned back to Burgah. "Make the jump into hyper-space! Now!"

Startled, Burgah glanced at her incredulously. "But we just barely came out. If we make another jump so soon, the engine could rip apart."

"You call that an idea?" exclaimed another member of Aurah's crew.

"Burgah, do it," Aurah ordered firmly, frowning reproachfully at the young male gylderian who had spoken. She glanced at Seripa, "I sure hope you know what you're doing."

"I never know what I'm doing, to be honest. I'm just flying by the seat of my pants." She grinned and shrugged. "It's Bardock's style and it always worked for him. I'm hoping it'll work for me, too."

"Making the jump to hyper-space in 3…2…"

THUD!

Everyone looked up as an indention appeared in the ceiling.

"Give me a view of the exterior, now!" Aurah said quickly.

The screen flashed and there was Frieza standing on the hull of the ship, tapping his foot impatiently. He was staring directly at the camera, a look on his face that practically said 'well, you coming?' Behind him, they could clearly see his ship leisurely following.

"Hyper-space jump initiated!" cried Burgah. The whole ship suddenly bucked, and Frieza was thrown off as it shot away…an instant later there was a shock that went through the whole ship, and then everything was chaos…


	8. It's Been Awhile

_**Chapter Eight: It's Been Awhile**_

"_And it's been a while…_

_And everything I can remember_

_As fucked as it all may seem_

_The consequences that I've rendered_

_I've stretched myself beyond my means…"_

_ It's Been Awhile – Staind_

_**DBZ**_

One year…One fucking year since the day they made their daring escape from Frieza. The jump into hyper-space had been a desperate decision that for one entire year Seripa had regretted making. Immediately following the jump the hyper-engines had malfunctioned, fracturing into millions of pieces under the stress of making such a sudden and too-soon jump.

The ship had spiraled and twisted through hyper-space for an eternity it seemed, before finally exiting into the territory of the Flazerian Empire. Like Frieza, the Flazerians were a tyrannical bunch that owned and ruled over a multitude of planets…

Not to mention they were in direct opposition to Frieza and the Gylderian Empire.

Without power their ship was drawn to the nearest planet…The planet that they crash-landed on.

Seripa barely remembered anything after the exit from hyper-space. There was chaos aboard the bridge; that much she could recall. Aurah had been trying to calm her crew down as they tried to bring the ship back into operation. All the while, they blamed Seripa for the ship's condition…

And now, a year later, as Seripa sat staring at the blank white wall before her, she couldn't help but agree with them. If she had not told Burgah to make the jump, then they wouldn't be prisoners of the Flazerian Empire. She wouldn't be trapped in this tiny 7 by 7, ki-restricting cell. The same cell she had been residing in since she awoke after the fiery crash that had killed a majority of the occupants on Aurah's ship.

Seripa sniffed and pulled her legs to her chest, her arms wrapping around them as she rested her cheek against her leg. She was sitting with her back against the wall across from the steadily pulsating energy bars that prevented her escape. Her violet hues were half-lidded as she stared at the cell across from hers, but the red glow from the bars was difficult to see beyond. Even so, she could just make out the form of Amotto sitting in a similar position.

She wasn't sure what had happened to the Gylderians, but Amotto, Broco, and Turles were in the same cell block as her. Broco resided in the cell beside hers, while Turles was across the hall from him. Every day they (including Turles, amazingly) tried to convince Seripa that none of this was her fault. But every day their words fell on deaf ears. She had not spoken to any of them in months; not since Aurah, Sushinae and several others had been moved from the cell block to an undisclosed location.

They didn't know the name of the planet, but they knew that their captors were of the Jynn-jin race. They greatly resembled the Saiyans, as did a vast majority of the races in most of the surrounding quadrants. The Jynn-jins lacked tails and for the most part had vibrant hair colors in metallic sheens. They were strong, but nothing compared to Saiyans. What they did have that the Saiyans lacked for the most part was wide-spread intelligence.

And it was this intelligence that had the Saiyans trapped in ki-restricting, power-dampening cells. Turles had revealed that he had been able to muscle his way out of his cell aboard the ship, but the Jynn-jins had obviously prepared for such situations. Seripa had to doubt that even Tettuce could have escaped this prison.

Tettuce.

Seripa sighed and closed her eyes. No one had seen or heard from him even before the jump. After Turles had hijacked the ship, he had made sure to put as much distance between them and Tettuce as possible. Frieza had shown up flying in from the very direction they had traveled from. There was no reason to believe that he had let Tettuce and the others live.

Seripa hated herself for believing that he was dead, but it was something that they all had to believe. He had admitted that Frieza wanted him dead, so there was no reason to believe he was alive.

The sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears and she opened her eyes. Lifting her gaze to the front of her cell they fell upon an aged Jynn-jin male as he stopped before her cell.

"You again?" she sighed and slowly climbed to her feet, dusting the front of her dark blue under armor off, even though there was not a speck of dust or dirt in her cell.

The man frowned at her through the energy bars. He had metallic blue hair and yellow eyes that peered at her from behind thick glasses.

"Every day, without fail, I come to your cells. Who else would it have been, Seripa?"

She approached the bars, her dark brows knitted together in a frown of her own.

"Well, one would hope that it would have been someone coming to release me, Berik." She barely refrained from spitting on him. The man was a scientist, through and through. Every day, without fail, he came to retrieve her for studies. Of the Saiyans, she was the only one that was taken for questioning on Frieza's military. Why? Even she had yet to figure that out.

But she knew this time would be just like the other times. He would open the cell and lead her away to be questioned. And when she gave them the answers they didn't want to hear, she would be tortured. It had gotten old a long time ago, but she was starting to become resistant to the torture. Not only that, but she was beginning to feel new strength. The ki-restriction and power-dampeners that the Jynn-jins used kept her from utilizing it, but there would be hell to pay if ever she got free. She didn't know how strong she was now, but she knew that she was stronger than she had been the last she and Turles fought.

Berik sighed and pressed a sequence of buttons to the side of the bars. "You are one of only four Saiyans on this planet. You really think that someone will come to release a monster like you?"

Seripa smirked as the bars vanished and beams of blue light suddenly appeared around her ankles and wrists, forcing them together in front of her. "A monster, eh? I suppose we Saiyans deserve such a reputation, but Frieza is the true monster."

"Hm, something we can agree on. But you work for him, so that makes you just as bad."

Seripa growled as she was forced against her will to move out of the cell. The Jynn-jins were too smart for their own good, she thought as she shuffled along ahead of Berik. Glancing to either side of her, she saw Broco and Turles sleeping. Amotto was the only other one awake and alert; she watched in silence as Seripa was led away.

"I keep telling you, Jynn-jin, that neither I, nor my friends, work for Frieza. He destroyed our home planet!"

Berik rolled his eyes as he walked along behind her, "Planet Vegeta was destroyed by a comet. Even Lord Ryo verifies that fact, so you can stop with the lies."

She growled and glanced over her shoulder at him, "I do not lie, Jynn-jin scum. Frieza is just as much my enemy as he is yours. And he _did_ destroy our planet, regardless of what your Lord Ryo claims. I was there."

Berik frowned, a peculiar expression coming over his features. But he said nothing in response, instead pointing ahead of her, "Eyes forward Saiyan."

Seripa growled again and turned her eyes forward.

_**DBZ**_

_Lessbru looked up at Tettuce sharply. "Frieza? How do you know it's him?" He asked nervously. He obviously didn't like the idea of Frieza racing up behind them._

_ "Frieza was coming after you, as well. Your friend Broco was tracked when he hacked into Frieza's system." Tettuce tore his eyes away from the radar and looked down at Lessbru, "Frieza wants every last Saiyan dead."_

_ The shorter man blinked in surprise, "I can understand that, but why come after us himself? I assumed he would rather send his lackies after us, instead."_

_ "Normally, yes." Tettuce straightened up, a frown etched deep into his features. "Frieza is after me. He wants nothing less than to kill me himself."_

_ Lessbru jerked in surprise, standing up quickly. "What? What in the hell did you do to garner that much of his attention!"_

_ The taller man growled down at Lessbru, who took a step back in response. "Sit back down and get this ship out of hyper space. If he catches us, we are all dead!"_

_ Lessbru blinked again and quickly sat back down. He lifted his hands to the console, but paused. "If I drop this ship out of hyper space, Tettuce, then there's a good chance that the engines will malfunction again." He looked up at him slowly. "Then we'll never catch up to Turles."_

_ Tettuce looked down at him slowly, his expression blank. He had thought about that already. But if he let Frieza catch up to them and kill them, he would never see Aurah again. He looked down to the floor and frowned._

_ "I know. Drop out of hyper space now," was all he said. Before turning and walking across the bridge._

_ The ship dropped out of hyper space, and Lessbru immediately activated the cloaking shield, successfully hiding their ship's presence from Frieza's radar…_

_**DBZ**_

Tettuce opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. He pulled his knees up halfway and rested his arms over each respective leg. A whole year had passed since that day and yet he still found himself dreaming of it. Not a day had gone by that he and the others didn't constantly search for Aurah and Seripa. Shortly after they had escaped they learned of the altercation between Frieza and Seripa, and Seripa's subsequent decision to send the ship into hyper space. But what they didn't know was what had happened after that jump. They had apparently successfully escaped from Frieza and his men, but no one had seen or heard from any of them. There had never been any report of them exiting hyper space or arriving at a planet that was a part of the Gylderian Empire's territory. There hadn't even been any reports of ransom from any known enemies. They simply had no clue where they had gotten to.

Just as Lessbru had warned, the engines had given out. Unfortunately they were completely out of commission as far as hyper jumps went, so they had to limp at half power through space until they reached an occupied area. Even then, it had been weeks before they finally reached planet Gylder to have the ship repaired. Although, as it turned out, the ship was beyond repair at that point. Tettuce and his rag-tag crew were issued a newer, much faster, ship and almost immediately began their long and arduous search for the others.

Tettuce swung his legs around to drape over the side of his bed. He stood up and walked to the large screen panel that was currently displaying a window-view of space. Pausing before it, he folded his arms across his chest with a sigh. He had been doing his best to restrain his anger and frustration, but without Aurah he could just forget keeping his rage in check. He hated the way he was when she was not around. He turned into _that_ monster that even he feared. The rage and darkness that overcame him when he was angry was frightening. It was especially frightening because it always seemed that his power would increase the angrier he got.

Before he had met the girls, long before they ever became Aurah, he was a much more ferocious person. It had earned him quite a few nicknames through the years; Tettuce the Insane, the Harbinger of Doom, the Hand of Fate…the list was longer than he liked to admit sometimes. The things he had done, even to his own people at times, were not things he liked to think about. He wasn't sure how it came to be, considering saiyans were generally known for their ferocity, but he came to despise himself. He supposed it was a result of his getting older. What was it again, 56? 57? He wasn't sure. But it was the best explanation for why he suddenly came to mourn for his victims. Why he hated the things he had done. Perhaps that was a big reason why he didn't think his people should have continued to work for Frieza.

Then again, even after his exile he was still worthy of those nicknames. It wasn't until long after Vogan had taken him in that he met the girls. It wasn't until after he met them that he took a good look at himself and saw the animal that he was. And he knew that was how they viewed him, as well. Maybe that was why he sought to change; he wanted people to view him differently. Was he really remorseful for the things he had done? Sometimes he had to wonder.

Tettuce sighed and pressed his forehead against the screen, his eyes staring out into the black of space. He hoped to never see the monster that was still lurking within ever again. But if it turned out that Aurah had been hurt or worse, then he knew that the monster would win over. He worried what would happen if that proved to be the case.

Actually, no he wasn't worried. If something happened to Aurah, then whoever was the cause deserved whatever happened to them…

His train of thought was interrupted as the screen became opaque and an alert sounded, indicating an incoming transmission. He frowned and stepped away from the screen, folding his arms again. He had let them drop to his sides when he became lost in thought.

"Open channel," he commanded the computer.

The image of a young man with metallic green hair and pink eyes appeared before him, causing him to blink in surprise. The young man was a Jynn-jin! In fact, the young man looked familiar to him.

"Who are you?" Tettuce demanded. Why did he look familiar? Where had he seen a Jynn-jin that would possibly look familiar to him?

The man smiled and inclined his head forward in greeting. _"Hello, Tettuce. It has been a long time, though it seems too long ago for you."_ He chuckled under his breath. _"Forgive the jest."_

Tettuce frowned, barely suppressing a growl. He would certainly regret losing his temper on this fool. "Just tell me who you are."

The man smiled again and said, _"Of course. I am Nepu. My uncle is Berik."_

Tettuce quirked a brow and said, "You seem to think I know you. But those names are unfamiliar to m-"

"_I am the son of Princess Lira."_

That rang a bell. Tettuce stared at the screen in surprise, "You're the brat who used to hide behind her legs?"

Nepu laughed and nodded and said, _"Yes, that was me. Though it has been about thirty years since the last I saw you."_

"Yeah, times have certainly changed," he frowned and unfolded his arms, dropping them to his sides. If his memory served, it had been just a little over thirty years since the last he had seen the brat. In fact, one again if memory served, he seemed to think he had seen him last the very day that his father, Prince Jaxom, future king of the Jynn-jin people, had been assassinated. He and his own mentor, Turpin, had been sent to one of the Jynn-jin planets (he couldn't remember which) as envoys on behalf of Frieza's empire, at a time when he was still in support of the treaty with Frieza. Even to this day, it was said that no one knew who had assassinated the prince. Tettuce had his suspicions, but that was neither here nor there.

He would have to touch on that subject a little bit later; for now there were more important things to worry about than things that had happened thirty years prior.

"Why are you contacting me?" he asked sharply. "Isn't it a crime punishable by death for anyone in Flazerian territory to contact an opposing empire?"

_"Oh, yes. But you should know that the Jynn-jin people hate the Flazerians. It wasn't exactly willingly that we became a part of Lord Ryo's empire. But as for why I am contacting you,"_ Nepu paused and glanced over his shoulder, as if he were making sure he was alone, before turning back to face the screen on his end. _"My uncle has in his company some people who I hear that you are very interested in retrieving."_

Tettuce's eye went wide and he unconsciously took a step forward, "Seriously? Are you saying that he has Aurah?"

_"Among several others, yes. The Saiyans are being held in cells, but Berik was able to get Lady Aurah and her entourage to a safe location. It is very well hidden on Jynn-jin 13."_

Tettuce stared on in silence for a few moments. Jynn-jin 13 was in the heart of the Flazerian Empire's territory. "How did they end up there?"

Nepu lifted a hand scratched the back of his neck with a sigh, _"Well, the hyper space engines aboard their ship gave out under the strain of the jump they were making, leaving the ship dead in space. When they came out of hyper space, they exited practically on top of Jynn-jin 13 and were caught by the gravity. They crash-landed here; I'm also afraid to say that a majority of the crew was lost in the crash, but Lady Aurah and Sushinae are listed among the handful of survivors. All four Saiyans aboard survived, as well."_

Tettuce frowned as an expression of confusion came over his features. "Four? There should only have been Seripa and Turles aboard that ship. Who are the other two?"

_"Ah, I believe their names are Amotto and Broco."_

Tettuce blinked and then nodded. Of course, he remembered hearing that they, too, were missing. But he had been focused more on the fact that Aurah was missing that he had not even given those two a second thought. He felt a little bad about it now, but not too much. They were Saiyans and could easily take care of themselves. Aurah was only half, but she could as well. Nonetheless, that did not stop him from worrying about her.

"That is good to hear that they, too, survived. So why are you telling me? Why are they all still alive?" Tettuce had been wondering that from the moment Nepu has confided in him that they were under Berik's protection. But for someone under Flazerian rule to harbor enemies to their overlords was unthinkable. Frieza was a tyrant, but the Flazerians' brutality made Frieza tame by comparison. Especially when it came to traitors like Berik and Nepu.

Nepu merely smiled in response, _"We Jynn-jin were supporters of the Gylderian Empire for centuries, Tettuce. Why should that change just because the Flazerian Empire has taken control of our planets? No, my friend, we are not allies to Ryo and his army. We have secretly begun an underground resistance, and my uncle has even been constructing a way for us to rise up and overtake the Flazerians. The project is nearing completion, even as we speak," _he said with a hint of hope and pride in his tone.

Tettuce nodded absently, "Sounds good. Now, about Aurah and the others…"

_"Right, my apologies. As I said they are safe. The Saiyans are being held in power-dampening cells, but they're otherwise safe and unharmed. For the most part, anyway."_ He added with a slight grimace.

Tettuce arched a dark brow and narrowed his eyes, "Now what does that mean?"

Nepu sighed and glanced away, _"Well…we do have to keep up the appearance of being loyal to the Flazerian Empire, so they have been treated less than acceptable. They're being treated just as Saiyans captured by the Flazerian Empire are expected to be treated."_

"I can only imagine," remarked Tettuce dryly, a slight hint of anger tingeing his tone. He could understand why they were being treated as such, but that did not mean that he was going to just calmly accept that information.

_"I assure you, Tettuce, that we have not seriously harmed them in any way. That is not our intention, of course. We merely need to keep up an appearance lest Colonel Flazamyn suspect something amiss."_

"I underst-Wait. Did you just say Flazamyn?" Tettuce frowned up at Nepu who nodded in response. "So that bastard is on Jynn-jin 13, hm?" He lowered his gaze to the floor thoughtfully. It had been decades since he'd last seen that particular Flazerian. Back then he had only been known as Lieutenant Flazamyn, but it seemed he had progressed through the ranks quite a bit in that time.

_"Flazamyn hates the Saiyans, as I am sure you are aware, and has repeatedly ordered their executions. Thankfully we have managed to forestall that undesirable outcome, but as time wears on he begins to lose patience. We fear that any day now he will carry out their executions himself, which is why we have chosen to take the chance and contact you. We cannot rescue them as you are capable of. There is not a single Jynn-jin on this planet that has even a quarter of the necessary power to take Colonel Flazamyn on."_

"I see. You were hoping that I would find them on my own before you took the chance, right?"

_"Yes. We have attempted to send word several times through scouts, but unfortunately none have managed to reach you. Or they have reached your area, only to find that you have long-since left. This was to be our last resort for reaching you with the necessary information."_

Tettuce looked up again, still frowning. "I thank you for letting me know. I _wish_ that you had alerted me much sooner, but I can understand why you did not. However," he lowered his voice, his tone becoming threatening, "I can't excuse any of you for waiting for so long. It has been an entire fucking year!" he raised his voice until he was practically yelling at Nepu. "A year! Do you know how crazy I've been trying to find Aurah, not knowing whether or not she was still alive?"

Nepu visibly flinched and recoiled a bit from the view screen. He had been momentarily surprised that Tettuce had taken the information so well…but this reaction fit better into what he had expected in the first place.

Of course, Tettuce had a reason to be upset. He had been beginning to think that Aurah really was dead. The information had settled his fears, but had in turn awoken his rage. He was livid and someone had to pay for what had happened to Aurah.

"But no, you wouldn't know, would you?" Tettuce snarled.

_"Tettuce, you must understand that we had no choice…"_

"_You_ had no choice? How about Aurah and Seripa and the others? What choice did _they _have? None!" He straightened his shoulders and glared hotly into the computer screen. "I'm on my way. There's hell to pay, so I'm bringing hell to Jynn-jin 13…"

Nepu visibly swallowed back his apprehension as he stared at Tettuce through the view screen. _"You really are the Harbinger of Doom…"_

Tettuce scoffed and turned away from the view screen, striding across his room to an armoire just on the other side of his bed. He withdrew his underarmor, his battle jacket, and his cape, slipping them on in a flash. He glanced across the room to where Nepu still stared fearfully from that view screen.

"Whatever you have planned to overthrow the Flazerians will pale in comparison to what I plan to do to them." He turned, his cape whisking around violently. "And pray I don't turn my rage on you Jynn-jins."

_**DBZ**_

Droplets of sweat beaded down the sides of his face as Nepu continued to stare into the now blank screen. Slowly he leaned back in his chair, the screen closing down to meld with the large metallic desk it was built into. He sighed and looked up as the door across the darkened office opened and Berik walked in.

Berik raised a blue brow as he paused on the other side of the desk. "I assume the conversation did not go as planned?"

Nepu shook his head. "Oh no, Uncle. It went better than expected. Tettuce is on his way here as we speak, but he is less than pleased with the information that I have given him."

"Well, it is to be expected." Berik shrugged and carefully pushed his thick glasses back up his nose. "He has not seen his mate or his friends in a year. He has every right to be angry."

"Yes, I agree, Uncle. But Tettuce has threatened our safety, as well." Nepu frowned and stood up. "That was not a part of the plan."

"No, it wasn't," replied Berik calmly as he regarded his nephew. "But it should have been expected. Tettuce is the Hand of Fate, after all. The Harbinger of Doom, and so many other violent nicknames. You really think those names were just given to him? No, Tettuce earned them all throughout his violent past." He sighed as he paused, closing his eyes slowly.

Nepu stared across the desk at his silent uncle. "I understand that, but, Uncle Berik, we don't deserve to be treated the way he's going to treat the Flazerians!"

"Now that I will have to disagree on, Nepu." Berik opened his eyes and looked up at the other Jynn-jin man. "We have been under the rule of the Flazerian Empire for close to twenty years, now. And in those twenty years I have seen supposedly peaceful Jynn-jin people do unspeakable things; things that they would not have done prior to the Flazerian rule. I am seeing these unspeakable acts grow in number as the years pass. Before the Rule the things that we have done to the Saiyans since their incarceration here would never have been done." He sighed and walked around the desk to the large window that was behind it. As he approached it, the shades automatically raised up to show a panoramic view of a long-dead forest stretching out for miles below his raised office.

He grimaced visibly as he stared down the once lush and green forest. This devastation had happened all within Nepu's life, but at a time when he was too young to hope to remember it. It had all begun shortly after his father's assassination. Without Prince Jaxom to assist his father in the affairs of the Jynn-jin people chaos had spread like a wild-fire, and in that chaos Lord Ryo had reared his ugly head to "restore balance" to the Jynn-jin people. What fools he and his people had been to believe such lies from a Flazerian of all people. They should have known better!

But then, perhaps they had. Perhaps when faced with the option of being a part of the Flazerian Empire and the Cold Empire…Perhaps they had felt that the Flazerians were the lesser of two evils. At least under Flazerian Rule they were not required to be genocidal murderers like the many races Ruled by Frieza and his family. Perhaps…

He sighed again and looked back at his nephew. "Our fear of the Flazerians has allowed us to let this beautiful planet slowly die. Nepu, we do deserve whatever is coming to us, be it from Tettuce or elsewhere. We do deserve it. We can only hope that along with the justice, there will be some forgiveness."

_**DBZ**_

**(Hey! Individual Lies here! Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. This chapter proved to be a bit of a challenge, but once again **Shadow Majin** was there to beta read the chapter and help me out. So a big thanks to him again. I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter and as usual reviews would kick ass!)**


	9. I'm Alive

_**Chapter Nine: I'm Alive**_

_Never again will I be dishonored  
And never again will I be reminded  
Of living within the world of the jaded  
They kill inspiration  
It's my obligation  
To never again, allow this to happen  
Where do I begin?  
The choices are endless  
Denying the sin  
My art, my redemption  
I carry the torch of my fathers before me_

___I'm Alive-Disturbed_

_**DBZ**_

_One Year Ago…_

"Aside from the destruction of the former cities Frieza has supplied us with a fine planet, I think." A tall blue-skinned alien with a humanoid appearance turned to his partner who knelt just a few feet away, peering into the crystal-clear water of a tiny pool they had stumbled upon.

The two men were scouts from an alien race called the Sion'Fujj. Their race had approached Frieza searching for a suitable planet that would house their dying race. They had paid extremely well for this rock upon which they now stood. After the purchase and the *ahem* cleansing of the planet, a group of fifty had been sent to inspect it and to map out where the more suitable portions of the planet were located.

Of course they had been initially wary of the planet when they first discovered the devastation that had been left in the wake of the cleansing, but after thorough inspection the scouting group had deemed the planet most worthy. Now these two, who had wandered away from the larger portion of their party, were relaxing and taking in the views.

"I'd have to agree," said the man kneeling by the water. "This pool is peculiar, wouldn't you say?" he said in a slow tone, a frown knitting his white brows together.

His partner moved closer to the water's edge, frowning slightly as he peered down at it. "Yes, it would seem so. The water is crystal clear and yet I cannot see more than a few feet below the surface. That is rather odd."

"Yes, it is," his partner mumbled, never taking his bright green eyes from the water. To him the water seemed to be hiding something, but that was an absurd thought to have. Water did not have a mind of its own, after all. After a few moments he shrugged and glanced up at his taller partner. "So what was the name of this place again?"

"Hm…you know, I'm not sure." The taller man looked down at the other man apologetically. "I think it was called Kanatta, or something like that."

"Try _Kanassa_," said a deep voice from just behind them.

The men both spun in surprise to glimpse the naked form of a man standing a few feet behind them. In a flash he lunged forward and there was a bright flash of light and then darkness was all they knew…

The man stood over their headless bodies, a look of disgust marring his otherwise handsome features. A scar stretched from the center of his left cheek and up even with the corner of his left eye. He had a thick mass of black hair that seemed to stretch in every direction on top, while the excess drooped low to hang over his bare shoulders. His cold black eyes, set in a seemingly eternally stern glare, lifted from the bodies and traced over to look at the softly glowing pool of water.

He had been sure that he would find that woman here. The woman from his dream. She had told him his name, and had seemed about to tell him what the word 'Kanassa' had meant. Despite having killed them, he still had to thank the two men for uttering the wrong name of the planet. It had been so close to what was on his mind that he couldn't help but realize that 'Kanassa' was the name of the planet they were on…But was it his home planet? As his gaze left the pool and looked around at the bleak landscape that stretched on all around him, he somehow had to doubt that. It was like some instinctual part of him was telling him that he was a long way from home.

The man, Bardock, knelt down by one of the bodies and quickly stripped the expandable armor from the corpse, before then dressing into it. He was now wearing full body black under armor, with a battle jacket that was red and green; the gloves and boots matched the color of the armor, which caused his eyes to narrow and his mouth to snarl involuntarily in disgust. He didn't like the way they looked, but he had to have something to wear. He couldn't very well fly around naked.

He frowned and looked up at the sky. Fly. Something told him he could fly; that it was just as second-nature as throwing those spheres of light he'd used to kill the two men had been. All he had to do was just _fly_ and he would do just that. Of course it was easier to be skeptical than to believe that something deep within his being was trying to verse him in his body's abilities. Could he really fly? He took a step towards the pool almost absently. There was only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath and bending down into a crouch he immediately sprang up from the ground and shot through the air, quickly leaving the bodies and the pool behind him in the distance. He glanced over his shoulder, his thick hair whipping and flying about madly in the wind from his travel. His eyes were wide in surprise, as well they should be. He was flying! Returning his gaze forward he allowed a smirk to tug at the corner of his lips. He was moving rather quickly. He had only just sprang into the air, and yet the pool was no longer in sight behind him and a city was looming ahead on the horizon. He held his arms out from his sides and subconsciously poured more ki into his flight. The next thing he knew a light blue aura burst to life around his body.

With wide eyes and a fierce grin on his face, he shot over the city within just ten minutes of having taken off. He had no idea how fast he was going, but something told him that he was only going about half of what he was capable of. But reaching that speed would have to wait, he thought as he looked down upon the devastated city he was now flying over, his aura gone from about his body. He folded his arms over his chest as he slowed to a crawl and more or less floated over the still smoldering buildings. From as high up as he was he could see hundreds, maybe thousands of lifeless bodies spread out for miles beneath him.

He came to a dead hover over the city and continued to quietly stare down at the sight below him. Who, or what, had done this? Had he, with his special abilities, had something to do with the destruction that lay spread out before him? Was that the reason why he had no idea who he was or what had brought him to be contained within a bubble at the bottom of that pool? Bardock was his name, but _who was he?_ What significance did that name have if he couldn't remember anything about his life?

He sighed and let his arms drop to his sides. He was about to take off again, but something caught his eye. Lifting his gaze up to the blue and black night sky, he found his eyes following the descent of a spaceship. It was long and ovular and had two stubby wings jutting out of the sides of the elongated rear end. Arching up from the top of the ship and raking forward into a rather sharp point, was what was undoubtedly the gun for that ship.

As Bardock looked on the ship stalled its descent, casually drifting around above the dead city. It seemed to be circling around him, was his realization as the pointed gun came to aim directly at him. He frowned, a low growl building in his throat as he clenched both fists tightly. He had handled both of those scouts before with relative ease, but a spaceship was a completely different matter altogether.

And yet, that nagging feeling in the back of his mind was steadily telling him the ship didn't stand a chance.

A stiff breeze kicked up and his hair was set to waving and shifting. He clenched his fists tighter as a light appeared at the tip of the tail-piece, steadily growing brighter until a clear sphere appeared, with crackling blue electricity dancing within its core. The ball grew until it was roughly the same size as him. His eyes narrowed until his pupils were but slits between his eyelids. They wanted to fight, that much was apparent. Well, he was more than willing to oblige. His whole body seemed to cry out for a fight. From the tips of his toes all the way to the end of the dark brown tail he had wrapped around his waist.

Without preamble, the ship fired off its sphere of death. It closed the roughly 75 feet of distance in the blink of an eye, but by the time it reached Bardock he had already phased out of sight and reappeared 20 feet to the left. He offered an arrogant smirk to the ship and lifted a hand to beckon to them. Instead of advancing, the ship merely hovered in place seemingly waiting for something.

Bardock frowned after a couple of seconds and found himself glancing quickly over his shoulder. None too soon, too, as the sphere was less than fifteen feet from making impact with him. He quickly phased out of sight, and reappeared flying straight towards the ship. His blue aura burst to life around his body and he rocketed forward, a sonic boom erupting just behind him as he raced over the ship and then angled down towards the city. The sphere was hot on his tail as he shot down between two skyscrapers, his speed causing what few windows remained to instantly shatter as he flew by. He cut a sharp right and flew in a quick circle around one of the buildings until he was flying up towards the ship again. Behind him the building was engulfed in a massive explosion of blue light as the sphere slammed into its side, trying desperately to follow after Bardock. The light faded and he glanced down behind him to see that only half of the building remained; the rest had been instantly vaporized. He grimaced, making a mental note not to let the next sphere hit him at all costs.

Looking back up Bardock saw the ship angling for another shot at him. His aura vanished and he came to an abrupt stop just as they fired a second sphere down at him. Gritting his teeth and charging ki into both arms, he brought them over his head, clasping his fingers together. Just as the sphere reached him, he swung both arms down quickly and jackhammered the ball of death down towards the city below him. He grinned as it shot away from him, but the grin quickly vanished as the sphere quickly spun around and shot back up at him. Great. No matter what he did the sphere would follow him wherever he went. Did he have to race away from it into the obstacle course that was the city again?

Gathering his ki he prepared to shoot away, but just out of his peripheral vision he could see the ship hovering closer than it had been originally. And an idea quickly formulated in the back of his mind. Grinning as he raised his ki-charged arms up, he watched the sphere fly up at him menacingly. Grunting as he swung his arms around at the last second, his clenched fists slammed into the ball and sent it spiraling in the direction of the ship. Bardock watched in satisfaction as the ship began to turn, trying to quickly remove itself from the path of the devastating sphere. It failed, however, as the sphere made contact with the silver hull and a blinding blue light erupted from the point of impact, engulfing the entire ship. Bardock had to shield his eyes.

But just as quickly as the light had appeared, it was gone; as was the ship. Grinning in triumph, Bardock folded his arms across his chest smugly. That feeling in the back of his mind was gloating just as much as he was.

That is until he saw another, identical, ship descending from the sky. His grin faded and was replaced by a look of annoyance. Damn it, just how many of these ships was he going to have to destroy?

He sighed in exasperation as he eyed the ship silently. Whoever was aboard seemed to be measuring him; weighing their chances on taking him down. Well, Bardock was going to do to them what he had done to the previous ship if he had anything to say about it.

Panels opened up on each side of the ship causing him to blink his eyes in surprise. From the panels a gatling gun appeared on each side. They came out backwards, immediately twisting around to aim at him just as the tail of this ship lit up and began to form their own pulsing, ball of death. The two gatling guns began to spin, the whir of the chamber reaching his ears just as flashes of light erupted from the spinning barrels.

He phased out of sight, reappearing a moment later flying in the opposite direction with flashes of orange flying all around him, somehow missing him. Chancing a glance back over his shoulder he spotted that orb flying after him. He grimaced and, returning his gaze to the sky before him, called on his ki, his blue aura bursting to life around his body and he shot away as fast as he could.

The ship was giving chase, evident in that the flashes of light were steadily following him as he flew through the sky at his full speed. He didn't want to keep running because he knew the orb would follow him wherever he went. But what could he do? Frowning he glanced over his shoulder again, twisting his entire body around just as a stream of flashes were fired at his head. Angling so that he was flying backwards, his back arched and his hands held up by his sides with his fists clenched, he glared at the ship as they continued to fire those energy beams at him; all the while the orb was still giving chase. By now they had completely left the city beyond the horizon.

"So…" Bardock murmured under his breath. "You want to fight me that bad? Well…take this!" He thrust both hands toward the ship and fired off a massive blue beam. It tore through the nose of the hull like paper, and an instant later he closed his hands, causing an explosion to destroy the ship from the inside out, lighting up the sky before him.

He immediately twisted his body around into a dive and shot at full speed towards the planet's surface. The orb was hot on his heels; he could almost hear the crackling of the electrical energy within.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched the barren rocky surface rising up to meet him. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to see the orb within fifteen feet of him. Looking ahead he found himself almost at the surface. He suddenly threw both hands forward firing two balls of energy into the ground. He swung his legs forward and with a quick burst of his speed he shot by his own orbs; his feet slammed into the ground, cratering it under the force of his impact. In the same instant he pushed off, his aura, which had briefly vanished, instantly reappearing around his body, shooting up past his two blasts and the destroyed ship's orb of death. He heard and felt the explosion and then had to shut his eyes against the second, blue-tinged, explosion as the orb met the destruction of his own blasts.

He spun around, his aura vanishing, and hovered over the cloud of smoke and dust that had resulted from the massive explosion. He smirked as the dust cleared away to reveal a crater more than a hundred feet across.

"Whew, that could've been me…"

While he was admiring his handiwork, a glinting from just above him drew his attention skyward again. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened as yet ANOTHER ship descended. This one, however, did not resemble the previous two. It was more of a large ball with stubby wings jutting out on the underside towards the front, and on the topside, towards the back. It was jet black, as well.

Growling in the back of his throat and clenching his fists, he bellowed out, "How many of you do I have to destroy?" His voice echoed through the expanse that separated him from the ship; but instead of answering or reacting, it merely hovered about 75 feet away from him.

After a few minutes of hovering in silence, Bardock quirked a brow slightly. He relaxed his stance, but immediately raised his guard as the side of the ship suddenly opened up. He watched in silence as a man jumped out and flew towards him slowly.

Okay, so his day had started off strange enough as it was: he had no memory of who he was or where he was from; the only clues he had to anything was a dream of a mysterious woman telling him his name was 'Bardock,' and the word 'Kanassa' steadily playing through his mind. He had already verified that the name of the planet was Kanassa, but that was about all the progress he had made so far. Granted he had only been conscious and out of that bubble for about a half hour now, but still…Who the hell was this man flying towards him so leisurely?

The man drew up before him. He was a tall man, easily towering over Bardock, with long white hair framing his dull silver face and draping over his shoulders. His narrow eyes were bright, warm, and welcoming (something that actually made Bardock wary,) and a strange shade of red. Almost pink, it seemed, but not quite. They seemed to be slightly luminescent, which would count for the odd shade, he supposed. Finally, the man was dressed in shining silver armor, but it didn't appear to be metallic in nature. No, it seemed to be made of the same material that his own, stolen, armor was made of.

The man smiled to Bardock, inclining his head forward just a bit in greeting. Without preamble he said, "You're a Saiyan." Not a question, but an outright statement.

Bardock frowned in confusion, "Saiyan? What's a Saiyan? Better yet, who are you?"

The man seemed taken aback for a moment, but quickly recomposed himself. His smile returned and he nodded his head slightly, "Yes, of course. I am Falmer Zetra. And a Saiyan is what I thought you were, but since you don't know what a Saiyan is, then I must assume that you are NOT a Saiyan."

"Now, don't go assumin' so soon." Bardock's frown deepened. "I might be a Saiyan for all I know. I can't remember anythin' 'cept my name. And the name of this planet." He added almost as an afterthought, as he glanced down at the barren surface stretching out below them. "What happened here?" he asked as he looked back up to the man known as Falmer.

Falmer also looked down at the landscape below them, "Well. Reports are that a team of…cleansers, if you will, working for Frieza cleared this land of all life." He lifted his gaze to peer at the Saiyan. "It was a group of Saiyans, according to the reports that have been turned in to me. A group led by a man named Bardock."

Bardock's whole body tensed up and his eyes narrowed as he looked back down at the ground. Led by him? He and more Saiyans had done this? His gaze fell on the smoldering crater below him and he barely suppressed a grimace. He hadn't been awake long, but he had already caused more destruction than he had thought possible of one man.

"Did you know him?"

Bardock looked up sharply in surprise, but he barely, if at all, let it register on his face, "Did I know who?"

"Bardock."

He opened his mouth to respond, but then clamped it shut, eyeing the man warily. "What do you mean?" he finally asked cautiously.

"I merely thought that due to your sudden quietness you may have known him. He is, after all, dead."

Bardock's eyes shot open wide. Dead? But wait…it was possible that he was referring to another, different, Bardock. Maybe he shared the name with the man, but did that necessarily make him the same Bardock? "How did he die?" he ventured after composing himself.

Falmer frowned slightly. He had noticed the way the man reacted so strangely to his words. His frowned deepened as he realized that the man had yet to offer his name…something he had been about to point out when the man asked that question. His frown faded and he offered the man a blank expression. "Frieza murdered him…along with the rest of your race, I am afraid."

Bardock's mouth fell open in shock and he slowly started to drop out of the air. He had descended more than ten feet before he realized what was happening and quickly rose back up level with Falmer, a dark expression on his face. His cold eyes glared at the man heatedly, "Who is Frieza?" Something deep inside him told him that he should know who Frieza was. Ever since his name had first been mentioned he had felt an apprehension growing steadily in his core. Like it was instinctual for him to hate and loathe that name…a suspicion confirmed at the revelation that his entire race had been wiped out by the man.

Falmer blanched in surprise at the sudden glare that was cast his way, but he ignored it as the Saiyan asked that question. He frowned again, folding his thin arms across his chest, "Before I answer, I have a question of you."

"What?" Bardock all but snapped in response. He was amazed at the self-control he had. Every fiber in his body screamed at him to jet away and find this Frieza character, but yet he was still hovering serenely (well, as serenely as he could anyway) before Falmer.

"What is your name?"

Hesitation…then, "Bardock." And hastily, as if he were trying to explain himself for any particular reason, he added, "Bear in mind I have no memory of my life before this morning. I woke up at the bottom of a pool of water encased in a bubble, of all things. All I know is my name, and that is it. I don't know if I'm the same guy you mentioned earlier."

Falmer's eyes widened just slightly at the revelation and he cocked his head to the side, "I thought you looked familiar. But your hair," he unfolded his arms and gestured at the black mass spilling over the man's shoulders, "It is much longer than it should be. I would ask how you are alive, but if you have no memory of anything beyond this morning, then that would be pointless." He frowned again, lifting a hand to pull at his chin in thought.

"You know me?" Bardock asked in surprise, all anger briefly leaving his face to be replaced by shock.

"I know of you. I have seen pictures and hologram projections of you before. I am an acquaintance, of sorts anyway, of your former mentor, Tettuce."

Tettuce. The name struck a chord in the back of his mind. Bardock frowned and closed his eyes as he focused on the name…It was so familiar sounding. So familiar that he could almost put a face to it…There! He could imagine the man that the name went with. He remembered a man about as tall as he was, more broad-shouldered and with long black hair that, according to his faint memories, was more often than not tied back. The man he remembered had two scars on his face; one on his forehead in the shape of a jagged X, and another shaped exactly as the one on his own cheek. His eyes shot open and he touched his cheek slowly.

He looked across at Falmer as memories of his former mentor flooded his mind. Missions, training, bickering, relaxing…anything he imagined, he could suddenly remember in exact detail. As if he had never lost his memory in the first place. A sharp pain shot through his head and he touched both hands to either temple as immense pain flooded his skull.

Flashes of images ran through his mind. There were more Saiyans, there were images of his mentor, of his father, his brother, his teammates: Toma, Panbukin, Totepo, and…His eyes opened as the pain suddenly faded into nothingness. His hands dropped to his sides and he looked up slowly.

"Seripa…" She had been the woman from his dream. The woman who had said his name…but she had not seemed to be a figment of his imagination. No, especially not with the way she just suddenly vanished from his dream. Had she actually been there…? Had she really been within his dream, giving him the answer to who he was? Well, no, of course not. She had not told him who he was, just his name. But his name had been enough to make him realize that he was more than just a nameless man. He was a warrior with insane strength and speed and power…He knew who he was now. Completely and doubtlessly, he knew just who he was.

But…how was he alive?

"How am I alive?" he asked aloud, having all but forgotten that Falmer was there. So when the man responded he jerked in surprise and looked at him.

"I am curious of that myself, Bardock. I take it you remember who you are?"

He nodded quietly, his eyes set in a perplexed frown. It hadn't taken much for him to remember who he was. He just needed a catalyst, apparently. And hearing Tettuce's name had been quite the catalyst. But…still. He remembered the Death Ball bearing down on him and his planet. He remembered the searing heat and agonizing way his body had been so slowly vaporized…

"If you know Tettuce, then I need you to take me to him." Bardock looked up slowly, his eyes set in a fierce glare. "I have to avenge my team, my mate, and my people."

Falmer nodded slowly, "Of course." He looked down at the planet, cocking a brow. "You and your team sure did quite a number on this planet."

"Yeah, I know. I did a lot of this shit while we served Frieza." He practically spat out the name. "But no more. I don't serve him or anybody anymore. He's responsible for the deaths of the most important people in my life."

Falmer lifted his eyes from the planet and looked at Bardock with a slight smile. "Good. Come with me, then." He turned in midair and took off to his ship.

Bardock hesitated a moment, but then followed after him.

As the door sealed shut behind them, leaving them in a cramped corridor, a silver-skinned woman almost ran Falmer over.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, her almost luminescent green eyes widening in surprise. "Captain Falmer! Zether has just informed us that Lady Aurah has gone missing!"

Falmer's eyes narrowed and he growled in agitation, "What? How? What happened? Diamond, where is Tettuce?"

She quickly explained to him what she had been told, telling him that a captive aboard the ship had hijacked it while Tettuce had been aboard another ship, repairing the damaged engines.

"There's also a report going out on the Galaxy Band that there was an encounter with Frieza, where during a brief altercation a Saiyan female stood up to him and challenged him, and it was after that that her ship went missing as it jumped into hyper space. There's…there's quite a bit of chatter regarding the Saiyan..." she finished timidly.

"Who was this Saiyan female?" Falmer demanded as they stepped into the tiny bridge of his ship. It was more of a cockpit, to be fair. There were three chairs seated before a complex-looking console inlaid with screens and buttons and controls all over its surface. Falmer seated himself in the center chair, indicating the chair to his right for Bardock while the woman took the other seat. It did not escape Bardock's notice that they seemed to be the only three aboard the entire ship…which was just as well, given that it was barely big enough for the three of them, let alone an entire crew.

"Um, I believe they said her name was…Seripa."

Falmer blinked and looked at her in surprise. "What?"

Bardock had frozen in shock. Slowly he turned in his seat to stare past Falmer at Diamond. "Seripa? You did just say Seripa, right?"

"Um…yes. Yes, that was her name, without a doubt." She stared apprehensively between the two men.

"That's impossible," said Bardock, a hint of anger in his tone. "Seripa died on planet Meat along with the rest of my team!"

Falmer turned in his chair to regard Bardock, "That's not…true, actually. I was going to tell you a bit later, but Seripa is alive. General Tettuce and Lady Aurah found signs that she may have survived and were in the process of locating her. Judging by this report I can only assume that they found her…but now…" he trailed off, not sure of what else to say at this point.

Bardock turned away and closed his eyes. His heart was racing in excitement. His mate lived on! Seripa, his apprentice, his protégé, his mate…the one and only woman to ever find her way into his heart…she lived!

"Take me to Tettuce."

Falmer nodded and went to work on the controls. Within moments the ship was exiting the atmosphere, leaving Kanassa behind.

But while some questions had been answered and Seripa's survival had been revealed…one burning question was left in Bardock's mind: how was he alive?

_**DBZ**_

_Present day…_

Bardock stared out over the glistening city of Tyr'Nanog, capital city of planet Gylder, from where he stood on a balcony of the Glyderian palace. It had taken three months for Falmer to get his ship back to planet Glyder. It had turned out that the two ships Bardock had destroyed had previously been engaged in space battle with the Gylderian warrior. During the course of the battle his ship had been damaged enough that the hyper drive engine would no longer activate, something he didn't realize until after he had retrieved Bardock and then attempted to make a jump home. Through hyper space the ship would have reached Gylder in a matter of days. But as it was it took them three months.

By the time they finally arrived Tettuce had already come and gone, taking a new ship to search the cosmos for his mate. Bardock had wanted to immediately begin his own search for Seripa, but Falmer's brother, a man named Zether (General Zether at that) had denied him his wish of leaving. He had claimed that they could not spare the ship or the crew to send a half-cocked Saiyan on a search, and possible rescue, mission. Especially Bardock; they all knew his reputation, something that had disconcerted him. They knew so much about him and he knew nothing about most of them. Sure he knew who Lady Aurah was, but he had never before heard of Falmer or Zether, and Zether was supposedly the Gylderian champion.

Bardock had only met the man once, but he knew from that point that he didn't like him. Zether was taller than him by at least a head, and bore no kind of resemblance, either physically or in attitude, to his brother Falmer. Whereas Falmer had long white hair, Zether had short golden (not blonde, actually golden) hair and luminescent golden eyes. Falmer was also clean-shaven, while Zether kept a neatly trimmed goatee on his face. His complexion, instead of being dull silver like all of his peers, was golden. And while Falmer seemed very mature and had the years to reflect it, Zether was young, just barely out of his teens, and was incredibly arrogant. In fact the first thing he had done upon meeting with Bardock was to challenge the seasoned vet to battle.

If you could call that a battle, to be fair. Zether had proven rather quickly that he was beyond a match for Bardock, easily beating him into unconsciousness. When he woke up he had vowed to train until he was strong enough to bash in the little prick's skull. He didn't just dislike the man—he _hated_ that man with a passion. But he had no choice but to listen to the man's orders and bide his time.

In the nine months since his arrival on Gylder, Bardock's strength had grown exponentially. He had kept to his vow of training to beat the Glyderian, but as time wore on and his worry for Seripa grew, he began to train less for beating Zether and more for beating Frieza. That was his ultimate goal. He had to avenge the fallen Saiyans and make the lizard pay for he had done to his people and his family.

Bardock sighed and looked up at the star-filled night sky. There were thousands of twinkling lights spread all across the light blue expanse. Again he sighed. Tettuce still did not know that he was alive and well, awaiting his return on Gylder. He had waited so long to join his mentor in the search for their mates…He had tried several times already—each attempt unsuccessful—to hijack a ship and go into space. Zether's own men had thwarted him each time. He had even tried appealing to Falmer, but the man was so busy with constantly flying to other planets as an ambassador, or something like that. He had never really paid attention to details like that.

Lost in his thoughts he didn't notice anyone approaching until he heard the door behind him slide open. He turned around slowly, setting his eyes into their normal fierce glare, to see Diamond, the woman from Falmer's ship. She was staring at him, trying desperately to hold something back. Her eyes were wide and bright and her lips were pulled into a tight, thin line as she strode up to him, pausing several feet away and giving him a Gylderian salute: she raised up her left hand and held it at an angle across her body.

He arched a brow, barely resisting the temptation to snarl. "What is it?" He folded his arms and leaned back against the railing as nonchalantly as he could. Not constantly being around other Saiyans had almost completely changed his demeanor. He was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the menacing atmosphere he had mastered so long ago.

"We've just received word from General Tettuce. He has located Lady Aurah and the others! Seripa, too!" she blurted out excitedly. Hell, she seemed more excited than Bardock suddenly felt at that news.

He unfolded his arms and straightened up from the railing. "Excellent! When are we leaving?"

She blinked in surprise, her excitement fading. She suddenly became apprehensive and said in a slightly higher pitched voice, "What? Leave? Why would we leave?"

He growled and narrowed his eyes at her. "I've waited this long. I think it's time you people took me to where I belong! Where's Falmer?"

She jumped at being yelled at. She personally liked the Saiyan male. Probably a little more than she should, she was willing to admit. But she never could understand why he always seemed to hate everyone around him. Maybe it was just a Saiyan thing. "He's with his ship. Wh-?" But she was cut off as Bardock suddenly turned and sprang from the balcony, his aura alighting as he rocketed away.

Diamond approached the balcony railing and stared after him in silence. "Oh…"

Bardock rocketed through the sky, passing over the city and approaching the docking facility for the many spaceships that landed and departed each day. He knew where he was heading as he had been there many times in the past few months. So it was that in less than five minutes after leaving Diamond behind, he was striding quickly up to the jet-black ship. It had long since been repaired, of course, so flying after Tettuce today would only take a few days, if that long.

He boarded the ship and found Falmer sitting in the pilot's chair facing him with his arms crossed as he regarded the Saiyan man.

He grinned up at him, "I was wondering when I'd see you. Have a seat, the ship is almost ready to launch." He swiveled his chair around and leaned towards the console to quickly make preparations.

To say he was surprised would have been an understatement. Bardock frowned as he took his seat to the right of Falmer. "I thought no one was allowed to take me off planet?" He had been pretty sure that Zether had forbid the entire planet from even associating with him if he even mentioned going off planet.

"Oh I'll deal with my brother, do not worry about that." Falmer grinned again and glanced at him. Behind them the hull door opened and closed and then Diamond rushed in, her face flushed and her breathing quick and heavy. "Nice of you to join us, my dear." Falmer chuckled as he returned his gaze to the controls before him.

"Bardock…flies…fast…" she gasped out as she took her seat on the other side of Falmer. She quickly strapped herself in. Just in time, too, as the whole ship suddenly began to vibrate.

Bardock strapped himself in, as well, having waited until the last minute because he was sure that someone had been tricking him. But when the ship levitated away from its moorings, he allowed himself a faint smile. Finally! He was going to see his mate again and his former teacher. Just one step closer to reaching his ultimate goal of facing Frieza…

The ship suddenly rocketed away from the docking facility and exited the atmosphere in just under a minute.

"Damn, she's still feeling a bit sluggish." Falmer grumbled as his hands worked across the console. "Oh well. She is older than most other ships in the fleet." He grinned and glanced over to Diamond at that comment. "Take us to hyper space, my dear."

"Where exactly are we going, Falmer?" Bardock demanded as he looked towards the Gylderian man.

Falmer turned his gaze from Diamond and to Bardock with a faint smirk. "Diamond. Set the coordinates for Jynn-jin 13—heart of Flazerian territory."

The Saiyan blinked in surprise for a few moments and then grinned fiercely. "Now you're talking."

The ship suddenly rocked violently and then the blackness of space exploded around them and they were shooting through what seemed to be a swirling vortex of rainbow colors.

Bardock smirked as the ship would shudder every few minutes as it traveled through hyper space. It definitely was an older model if transitioning through hyper space was affecting it even that much. But it was also clear that the ship could handle the abuse, so he looked over to Falmer. "Contact Tettuce. I want to talk to him."

Falmer smiled again and nodded. He leaned forward and pressed a few buttons then nodded to Bardock.

A second later a voice spoke across the now open auditory channel, _"Who is hailing me? Falmer, is that you on that rust-bucket of yours?"_ growled the familiar voice of his former mentor.

Bardock smirked and then chuckled under his breath. "Now, now, Old Man."

Silence…_"Who is that?"_ Tettuce demanded warily.

"Who do you think it is, Old Man?" Bardock growled in annoyance.

_"Bardock?"_

"Yeah, it's me, Old Man." He grinned and chuckled.

"I'm alive."

_**DBZ**_


	10. Time to Burn

_**Chapter Ten: Time to Burn**_

"_Tell me why do I feel this way  
All my life I've been standing on the borderline  
Too many bridges burned  
Too many lies I've heard  
I had a life but I can't go back  
I can't do that, it will never be the same again  
And I know I don't  
Have any time burn"_

_**Time to Burn-The Rasmus**_

_**DBZ**_

"Rank, Saiyan," demanded one of the nameless and faceless Jynn-jin that were hidden from Seripa's view behind a large pane of mirrored glass. She was isolated from them in a circular, off-white room that blinded her with just how white it was. It didn't help that the lights overhead constantly hummed and buzzed noisily when the Jynn-jin bastards weren't questioning her or-

BZZTTTTT!

Seripa, strapped to a flat piece of a metal that supposedly served as a bed, threw her head back and let out a blood-curdling scream as sparks of electricity danced across her body, from her head all the way down to her toes. When the tortures had first begun she had used every ounce of her willpower to resist the urge to cry out in pain. For several months she was able to resist the nearly uncontrollable urge. But now, a year later and still having to undergo the tortures, she was having an increasingly difficult time in managing her control.

She knew it wouldn't stop, though. No matter what she said to the thick-headed assholes that liked to toy with her, they still shocked the shit out of her. Nothing she ever said was the right answer, it seemed.

"I don't serve Frieza!" She managed to gasp out between screams as the electrical field continued to fry her. "I don't fuckin' serve him!"

"Enough with your lies," the same voice from before snapped. "You Saiyans have served under Frieza for more than fifty years. Tell us what you know and why he sent you here, or we will continue this punishment."

Seripa laughed aloud, which surprised them and her. They were still shocking her, even as they spoke, but she had managed to laugh at them. Well, it was easy to laugh when they were being so stupid. The buzzing of electricity ceased, and her body relaxed on the cold metal slab, smoke rising from her reddened skin as she gasped for breath. The area around her wrists and ankles were red and blistered from her constant writhing as they tortured her.

Panting she turned her head to stare weakly at the mirrored glass. "I keep telling you…That bastard destroyed my people's planet…Why…the hell…would I still…serve him?" she all but gasped out. She was tired. Her body ached all over and her wrists and ankles were killing her. Not to mention her head was throbbing and she was certain that her eardrums had burst hours ago from how loud she had been screaming. Oh, and her throat was raw, too. It was so hard to keep up with the injuries when her mind was constantly being fried. They really were inefficient torturers, these Jynn-jin. Although they were excellent at starving the Saiyans half to death. They never did give them enough food when they fed them. It was a wonder they had not all withered away to nothing but skin and bones.

"Yes, you keep spouting those lies. Even our own Lord Ryo has confirmed that your planet was destroyed by a rogue comet. He hates Frieza and yet even he says that the lizard had nothing to do with the destruction of your planet. What do you say to that?"

She chuckled and closed her eyes as she turned away from the glass. "I say…Frieza is…scum. This Ryo…he's scum, too."

"Shock her again," said a new voice from behind the glass. She looked towards the reflective surface just the buzzing resumed and sparks of electricity danced all over her, clouding her vision with the new round of pain being inflicted upon her. She gritted her teeth against crying out, but a sudden surge that indicated someone turning the intensity up washed over her, and she lost herself over to the screams. She arched her back, pulling and fighting to free herself from the table so she could rid herself of the horrible pain that tore through her body.

The sound of snapping reached her ears and she felt sharp twinges of pain in certain areas on her legs and her stomach as the nearly indestructible material of her underarmor begin to tear from the strain her body was putting on it, and the heat of the electricity wearing it down. Roaring in agony, her teeth bared in anger, frustration, confusion and pain she fought to pull her hands and feet free. But the ki-restrictor and the power-dampeners combined with the insane strength of the alloy kept her bound to the cold slab, forcing her continued endurance of the torture.

"Cease now! You'll kill her!" declared a familiar voice.

"That was the idea, Jynn-jin scum…"drawled the new voice from before.

As the field continued to shock her, she felt the energy drain from her body and she fell limp against the table. She couldn't keep this up; they were killing her. More and more, each day they questioned and tortured her she could feel her endurance reaching its breaking point. She couldn't keep it up anymore. The buzzing suddenly ceased, but by then she had already decided to give herself over to the encroaching darkness. She wasn't dead yet, she knew that much. But she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

Her eyes closed slowly, but not before she saw the door across the room slide open and a familiar-looking blue-haired man suddenly rushing toward her. She frowned as she fell into the darkness; why was Berik worried about her…?

_**DBZ**_

_Three days later…_

Amotto pursed her lips as she stood before the red pulsating energy bars of her cell staring across the corridor and into Seripa's cell. She could see the other woman laying on her bed, curled up in the fetal position. She had been lying just like that for the last few days, ever since she was carried in bridal-style by that blue-haired scientist named Berik. She was still surprised by the way the man had worried over her unconscious form as he carefully deposited her there. He had lingered in her cell for a long time trying to determine if she was going to be okay. She frowned and glanced over to where Broco was standing at the bars of his cell watching her.

"She hasn't moved in days, Broco," she said, the concern apparent in her tone.

He frowned slightly, though it looked much more pronounced thanks to his single eye and the scar stretching over where his other one had once been. "I know, Amotto. But she's still alive so all we can do is be patient."

"Why haven't they taken us for questioning?" she suddenly demanded in anger. "Why do they keep torturing her? You and I are much weaker than her. No offense," she added hastily as Broco's eyebrows rose slightly. "But wouldn't you and I seem more likely to break? Why do they keep hurting her?"

Turles laughed from the cell beside hers and she looked at the wall. She couldn't see him, but she could imagine him leaning against the wall looking as arrogant as he always did. "What's so funny over there?"

"You're the funny one, Amotto. Seripa is tougher than that. Believe me, I know," he muttered under his breath. "Once she recovers she'll be fine, so quit worryin' so much."

"That's easy for you to say! You can't see her from your cell and you're not the one who's been tortured every day since we crashed on this gods-forsaken planet!" she huffed in annoyance and looked back to Broco, but she frowned at the amused look on his face. "What, you, too?" she demanded in frustration.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Amotto, but Turles is right. Seripa is a tough one that goes without saying. I'm just as worried as you are," he said quickly when he saw the look on Amotto's face, "but we have to be patient. It's not like we have much choice after all."

Amotto stared at him in silence for a few moments then sighed and closed her eyes. She was frustrated by this whole situation. She had been for the last year. She was tired of being locked up and she was tired of seeing Seripa return from her interrogations looking like she'd been beaten half to death. She opened her eyes and looked across the corridor at the other woman. She grimaced at the sight of bruises covering her bare arms and now bare legs. Her under armor had apparently not been able to take this round of torture. There was also a bit of dried blood on one of her arms, but she couldn't see the wound it had come from.

As she was looking at her she blinked with the woman suddenly shifted, lifting a hand to softly touch her own forehead.

"Seripa!" Amotto couldn't help but exclaim as she turned over in her bed and sat up wobbly.

She looked around and squinted at her, "Amotto? Ugh…" she lifted her other hand and rubbed her temples slowly. "How long was I out?"

Turles answered before Amotto could, "About three days. Almost four. How you feelin' over there?"

"Like shit…" she mumbled as she slowly rose to her feet.

Broco smiled and leaned against the wall of his cell, his lone eye on Amotto as he spoke, "We've been worried about you, wondering if and when you were going to wake up." He grinned as Amotto glanced at him and he blinked his eye in a wink. "Glad to have you back, by the way."

"Glad to be back. Though I feel horrible. Almost sick to my…" Seripa sat up straighter before she then jumped up and rushed to the back of her cell to the tiny toilet that was hidden by a four foot white wall. The sound of her retching reached all six ears listening to her.

"Charming," said Turles with a grin. He closed his eyes and sat down on the floor, keeping his back pressed against the wall.

"Fuck you," Seripa muttered as she straightened up, wiping her mouth with a sour look on her face.

"What did they do to you?" asked Amotto, her concern clearly showing on her scarred face.

"Nothin' good," answered Seripa automatically. After a moment she continued, "They tortured me, as usual. Injected me with that same gunk they've been injecting in me all year. I assume it's some sort of truth serum but apparently they doubt its effectiveness given that they keep shocking me half to death." She grumbled in irritation as she sat back down on her head and leaned forward, holding her head in her hands. She seriously felt like shit. She wasn't used to this bogged-down feeling—as if she had absolutely no energy left in her body. It also didn't help that she was hungry, a fact made clear by the rumbling of her stomach punctuating the silence.

There were a few quiet laughs from the other three as their stomachs followed suit.

"Well, at least you're okay enough to be hungry. They should be feedin' us soon," said Turles, still grinning.

"Uh oh," Broco said quietly, catching everyone's attention. "Seripa you better look sick or act unconscious," he said out of the corner of his mouth, "we've got company."

Sure enough three Jynn-jin men were walking toward them from the far end of the long corridor separating the cells. Following behind them was a tall alien wearing jet-black armor with a midnight blue cape draped across his shoulder-guards. He was an ugly creature. The skin of his face seemed to be more like plated armor, the plates overlapping one another as they traveled down his face. It was blue with strange red lines tracing down from his high pronounced forehead, down over his eyes to his gaunt cheeks and down under his chin to his thick neck, continuing on beneath his armor. His narrow eyes looked more like silver lenses rather than actual eyes, with tiny green dots floating in the center of the pool of silver, acting as his pupils. He was wearing a strange looking hat on his bald and plated head; almost like a beret. It was the same color as his armor. Completing his ensemble was a white scouter with a blue lens mounted firmly on the side of his head.

Seripa stayed seated on her bed, preferring to show defiance rather than weakness in the face of the Jynn-jin and this newcomer. But instead of coming to her cell, they instead stopped in front of Turles' who looked up at them in amusement from where he still sat on the floor.

"Sweet, looks like I'm the lucky candidate for today's interrogation."

The tall alien let out a harsh bark of laughter, shoving his way to the forefront of his little group to stare down at Turles menacingly. "You wish you were being interrogated, _Saiyan._" He said the name with no lack of disgust in his tone, practically spitting on Turles in the process.

"Oh goody, somethin' new." Turles stood up with a grin at the irritated look on the alien's face. "Who the fuck are you?"

The alien chuckled, narrowing his eyes at the shorter Saiyan. "I am _Colonel_," it was difficult for the Saiyans to miss the emphasis he put on the word, "Flazamyn. I am the Overseer of this planet and I have grown weary of you Saiyans' imprisonment."

"Cool. You letting us go?" asked Turles as he folded his arms. He highly doubted that was the case, but he sure was enjoying antagonizing the Flazerian.

Flazamyn ground his teeth together as he regarded the arrogant little brat. "No, I am not letting you go. Instead I am here to take you to be executed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on the boy's face.

"Oh, wow. To be executed, hm?" Turles frowned and leaned to the side to look past the entourage and at Broco. "Hear that? We're all gonna die, Broco."

Broco chuckled and folded his arms across his broad chest. "Sounds to me like he expects us to be afraid of that revelation," he said, talking as if Flazamyn and the three Jynn-jin weren't standing right there. "Sure is a foolish sort of guy."

Amotto stared on in shock. She could barely believe that they were trying so hard to antagonize the man, but then again she could. They were, after all, Saiyans just as she was. She had the same desire to speak out against him the way they were, but she had never been the most confident of people…

But if she was about to die, as this man claimed, then it was either now or never. "Foolish? Sounds like an idiot to me."

Flazamyn cut his eyes from Turles and glared right at her, sending a chill up her spine and almost making her regret even opening her mouth. Almost, but not quite. Instead she flashed him a grin and looked to Seripa to see the woman standing by the bars, an amused expression on her face.

"Ugly, too," added Seripa as she folded her arms across her chest.

Flazamyn whirled around, slapping the three Jynn-jin behind him with his cape and strode to stand in front of Seripa's cell. "You have a lot of talk for someone who couldn't handle a simple interrogation."

"Simple? Nothin' simple about shocking the shit outta me relentlessly for telling you the gods damned truth whenever it was asked of me." She paused, cocking her head in thought. Then she shook her head, "I take that back. Whenever it was _demanded_ of me."

"And why shouldn't it be demanded of you? You are, after all, prisoners of war."

"What war? Are you actively fighting against another Empire or something? Didn't think so," she continued before he could answer. "No, we're simply prisoners. Prisoners that are about to die, apparently. And you expect us to show fear, but we won't." She narrowed her eyes, smiling slightly. She was still unsteady on her feet, but she had enough energy to maintain her stance in front of this prick. "We are Saiyans and we show fear to _no one._" She grinned ferociously, practically glaring up at the much taller man. She had to crane her neck almost completely back just to look up into his eyes.

The Flazerian opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden rumble in the distance caught his attention. He looked back at the three Jynn-jin who all shrugged. He narrowed his eyes at them and turned back to Seripa, but another rumble paused him again. He frowned and reached a hand up to press a button on his scouter as it started beeping erratically.

"What is it?"

_"Colonel! We're under attack! Several unidentified spacepods have landed in the city! Reports are unconfirmed at this point, but there's widespread panic among the ranks and a rumor that the pods belong to members of the Ginyu Force!"_

Everyone in the corridor was silent as they listened intently. Seripa and Amotto exchanged glances at the same time that Broco and Turles did. If it was the Ginyu Force then they were apparently destined to die either way.

"Why the hell would the Ginyu Force be here?" He demanded angrily and then growled under his breath. "I'm on my way!" he snapped without waiting for a response. He cast a final glare at Seripa and then rushed down the corridor, leaving the three Jynn-jin behind.

One of the men, a man with metallic green hair and pink eyes, suddenly turned to Seripa and brandished a tiny remote control. He smiled and winked at her causing her to blink in surprise, then pressed the button. The bars on all four cells vanished causing the other three to exclaim in surprise.

"Sorry about that. He wasn't supposed to come with us, but he spotted us while we were coming to free you guys." He grinned around at all the surprised faces. The other two Jynn-jin stayed quietly to the side, their faces blank.

"Who are you?" Seripa asked with a frown as she stepped out into the corridor.

"My name is Nepu." His grin broadened and he offered a short bow. "Prince Nepu, at your service. Berik is my uncle," he added as he straightened up. "Now, there's no time to waste." He reached a hand to his waist and pressed a button on a small blue box strapped to his belt. The two other men that had accompanied him vanished as the hologram projector switched off. He looked up at the Saiyans and smiled. "It would have looked strange had I come here alone. I am just glad Flazamyn never addressed them." He laughed.

Turles frowned and folded his arms. "I assume you have a plan, Jynn-jin? 'Cause to be honest this all seems a bit half-baked."

Seripa glanced at Turles with a frown. "I don't usually agree with the brat, but in this case I do. If the Ginyu Force really is here…" she glanced at Broco and Amotto, "Well, Turles is the strongest of us and I doubt that he can face them." She looked back to Nepu and blinked at the apologetic grin he was aiming her way. "What?"

"Well…" Nepu hesitated and rubbed the back of his neck. "As you know, Berik is a scientist…" He trailed off and glanced around at the confused looks the other three were giving him. "Look, I don't know how to explain this so that you will accept it, but Berik has done something to you, Seripa." He avoided her gaze the entire time he spoke, but as his sentence drew to an end he returned his pink-eyed gaze to her.

"'Done something to me?'" She echoed, frowning and folding her arms across her chest. She wavered a bit and reached out a hand to the wall next to her, steadying herself. She blinked her eyes a few times and lifted her other hand to touch her head lightly. She was still feeling the effects of her torture, though she was glad to note that she had strength building somewhere in her body. She was still very much weak and she had no doubt that she wouldn't be able to stand against either the Ginyu Force or the Flazerians, but she had enough energy to at least try. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again and turned her violet hues on Nepu again. "What has he done to me, aside from causing my current condition?"

Nepu cringed visibly and looked away. "Yes…believe me when I say that what has been done to you for this past year is regrettable…"

"Regrettable, eh?" said Turles. He took a step closer to Nepu who backed away reflexively. "What has been done is somethin' that would make us tear every Jynn-jin we meet from here on out to tiny little pieces…" He narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to the man. Turles, who was much younger and therefore still growing, glared up at the somewhat taller man.

Seripa smiled slightly and waved her hand idly, pushing herself from the wall to stand up straight. "Just explain what's been done to me. I was tortured, yeah, but Bardock put me through far worse for far longer. I'll live," she stated simply, folding her arms across her chest again. She widened her stand and unfurled her tail from around her waist to help steady her. She didn't want or need help supporting herself.

Nepu gulped and nodded, "Right. You see…my Uncle is a highly intelligent man. Very respected among the other scientists on this planet, as well as many others. And for the last fifteen years he has been working on something that would help increase the strength of one of our own so that we could liberate ourselves from Flazerian rule. It was supposed to be a simple procedure, but Berik was never able to quite get it right." He scratched the back of his neck, doing his best to avoid Seripa's gaze. A fact which she did not let go unnoticed. If anything it seemed like he was trying desperately to avoid telling her what she wanted to hear.

She frowned and growled low in her throat. "Well, out with it. Before I knock your teeth in." Yeah, just threaten him a little. She knew well enough how to get information out of someone unwilling to share it.

The threat seemed to do the trick as Nepu winced and looked up at her sharply. He nodded and sighed. "Look. There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just…say it, I suppose. Berik has injected you with the means to save us all. Theoretically, anyway."

Seripa blinked in surprise. "Theoretically? I don't like the sound of that." She narrowed her eyes slowly. "What did he inject me with, Jynn-jin?" Her teeth ground together, but not out of anger. She was anxious, to be honest. She didn't like not knowing what was going on inside her body. Hell, she had felt the same way when she had first discovered that she was pregnant with Kakarott. Before she had learned what was going on, she had fretted over the various possibilities. Of course her fears had ceased once she learned that there was a child growing in her womb, but this was different. Something man-made had been injected into her body and she had not the faintest idea what it did.

"Nano-bots," Nepu said simply. "Millions upon billions upon trillions of the most advanced nano-bots that Jynn-jin technology could produce. But…what they were designed to do, they were designed to do specifically for a Jynn-jin." He frowned slowly and looked at her squarely for the first time since he had opened her cell. "Not a Saiyan. Berik tried to alter them for your physiology, but frankly there just was not enough time. He had to alter fifteen years worth of work in the span of a single year."

Seripa glanced over to Broco and Amotto and then looked at Turles. "Why not one of them? Why me?" That hadn't been her original question upon hearing all that, but as she looked at the three of them pondering over what she'd been told, she couldn't help but to wonder why.

"Better yet," interjected Broco, who frowned at Seripa. She was definitely not thinking straight still. She usually focused on the most important details first and foremost, saving these little tidbits for afterwards. "What are the nano-bots designed to do?"

The Jynn-jin man turned his gaze from Seripa and to Broco. "It's simple really. They are designed to attack a person's muscles and tear them apart."

"Wait, what?" asked Amotto suddenly. She had kept quiet up until now simply because it sounded like a conversation that was way over head. First off she knew that she couldn't possibly threaten this Jynn-jin male; especially not if he was a member of the royal family. She simply did not have the power reading for it. Turles easily had what it took to threaten him, as well as Seripa. As far as the nano-bots were concerned, they weren't inside her body and of the four only Broco really understood technology enough to follow what Nepu said. But hearing what they did, well even she could understand that that sounded horrible.

Nepu looked at her and smiled slightly. "Yes, it does sound rather…bad, doesn't it?" He chuckled nervously. "But see, there are two types of nano-bots inside of her body. The first type is designed to tear the muscles apart, but the second type…" he trailed off, a gleam suddenly appearing in his eyes. "Yes, the second type is designed to repair the muscles, making them denser in the process."

"Denser? What are you saying?" demanded Turles in irritation. He wasn't stupid or even lacking in intelligence. He was a very clever warrior; it had been apparent from the time he was a young boy, but this was something that just didn't make sense to him. He was a strategist easily, but not a scientist. To be honest, he hated technology.

"What he's saying, Turles," said Broco slowly, frowning and touching his bearded chin thoughtfully. "He's saying that Seripa's muscles are growing stronger each time the nano-bots repair what they've torn. Exactly how long this process go on?"

"It is a slow process…but only because we make it so." Nepu reached behind his back and plucked another remote from his belt. He held it up for them to see. "If I press the button on this remote then the nano-bots will speed up and begin ripping her muscles apart and repairing them at the same time. Trillions and trillions of nano-bots working at the highest speed they're capable of. But…" he trailed off again, his pink eyes falling on the remote in his hand and setting into a concerned frown. "But the reason we have not done that sooner is because we are unsure of how much strain the nano-bots can endure…As well as your body, Seripa." He looked at the silent woman solemnly.

She looked up and met his gaze. Throughout the exchange she had been looking at the floor trying to grasp the whole situation. There were robots all inside of her body…tearing up her muscles and repairing them at the same time…But…"How have I not noticed the change? If the nano-bots are working right now, as we speak, as I assume they are, then how have I not noticed any changes in my body?"

"That's because the process is little more than a crawl at the moment. Since the introduction of the nano-bots into your body your strength has only increased by about 5%. Once I press this button…the increase will be more like 200% in a matter of minutes. That's being conservative, mind you. There is also the possibility that the nano-bots will overload and short out before your strength can increase more than 20%." He raised the remote up and held it out to Seripa. "Your friend Tettuce is on his way, by the way. But I don't think he will make it in time to prevent the Flazerians from killing you all. At the moment this is your only chance at survival until he arrives. But even when he gets here, there is still the Ginyu Force to deal with, if they really are here." He frowned and glanced down.

"You don't know?" asked Amotto.

Nepu looked up and over at her. "No, I do not. I cannot imagine why they would have arrived here so unexpectedly, but if they are here then you will need all the help you can get."

"But why me?" asked Seripa again. She still didn't understand that. "Why not Turles? He is more than twice as strong as me. Wouldn't an increase in his power have seemed more desirable?"

"Yes, I will admit that we had first considered him as a likely choice, but ultimately he does not have the necessary quality that we were looking for."

"'Quality?' As in just one?" Seripa frowned again, this one in confusion.

"Yes," Nepu said with a nod. "We wanted someone with experience in fighting, and we noticed from the beginning that Broco and Amotto turned to you before they even acknowledge Turles."

Turles frowned but he kept silent. Even he had to concede that Seripa was much more experienced than he was. He was, after all, only 17. He had only been in the military since he was 15. Normally a Saiyan joined much much younger than that, but he had had to wait due to his power reading being abnormally low. But he had overcome that hump thanks to his father…his frown deepened and he looked down. He regretted killing his father…It had eaten at him for the last year while they were in captivity…but he couldn't dwell on the past. It was done and there was nothing he could do to change it, unfortunately.

"So we chose you for the 'interrogations' and we learned that you were indeed very experienced in combat," Nepu continued. He opened his mouth to say more, but the entire building suddenly shook and a rumble could be heard somewhere below their feet. He frowned and shook the remote in his hand. "Take it. You have the choice to activate the nano-bots anytime you want with this. You four need to get out of here! Fly north until you can no longer see the city. My Uncle is awaiting your arrival, as well as a few friends of yours."

Seripa lifted one hand towards the remote, but hesitated as her fingers brushed it. She frowned and glanced around at the others. Their eyes were on the remote, but Amotto lifted her gaze and looked at Seripa. She offered her a slight smile and a nod and Seripa took a deep breath, returning her gaze to the remote. She took it from Nepu and just stared at it. If it was her choice…

"Then may as well get it over with…" She took a deep breath…and pressed the button.

_**DBZ**_

_Bardock recognized this place. The green sky…the blue trees…the strange plateaus and the ocean that surrounded him on all sides. He knew this place. He had seen it before on the day he tried to stop Frieza from destroying Planet _Vegeta._ And ever since he had regained his memories he had been assailed by these visions again. _

_They started slow, not appearing to him until several days after leaving _Kanassa_ behind. But once they began they were difficult to ignore. He had accepted that he would probably see these strange visions for the rest of his life._

_But they had changed. Before when he was on this planet he had seen a man that he had determined to be his weakling son, Kakarrot, grown and standing ready to face Frieza. But now…_

_Bardock frowned as he looked all around him. He did not see Kakarrot or Frieza anywhere. Was the future changing from the one he had witnessed before…?_

_The sky above him suddenly turned black and he looked up, startled. He frowned and absently took a step forward as he stared at the lightning-streaked sky. There were no clouds for miles, but the sky was black, nonetheless. And the lightning…his frown became much more pronounced and he growled. Just what was going on?_

"Saiyan…Your punishment has become a gift…"

_Bardock spun around looking for the source of the strange voice. He wasn't surprised at hearing it. He had heard it every time he had a vision and it was always the same._

_"A gift, you say?" Bardock mumbled. "What's a gift that I can't understand, Kanassan?" He knew it was the same man that had given him this ability in the first place. He recognized the voice and the taunting way it spoke. _

_Laughter echoed all around him. He quirked a brow; that was a new addition to the vision. "Why do you laugh?"_

"Saiyan, you have done something that no one else before you has ever managed to accomplish. My people have known the secret to seeing the future for many generations, but we have never succeeded in learning to alter what we see. It always seemed to come about, despite our best efforts."

_Bardock folded his arms and glanced over his shoulder as the ground beneath his feet trembled._

_The voice ignored, or didn't even notice, the trembling. _"Long before you and your team appeared on our planet, we knew that you would one day appear. We did our best to set up defenses against you, but to no avail. As I watched my people get slaughtered, I realized that there was nothing we could do. I hid from you as a last effort to maybe take one of you down while your guards were dropped." _The voice laughed bitterly. _"In hindsight I was a fool to even think I could do that. But in the end I decided that maybe killing one of you wasn't the best route to take. So, instead I gave you, the obvious leader of your group, the curse of foresight. I never imagined that you would be able to alter your future."

_"What are you talking about? Planet _Vegeta _was still destroyed." Bardock growled in response. The trembling was becoming more violent and the lightning over his head was beginning to jump and spark across the sky quicker. _

"Yes, _Vegeta_ was still destroyed. But you are alive…that I did not expect. But I can understand, now, why that is…"

_"Good, maybe you can explain it to me," he grumbled in response. It still made no sense to him just how he was alive. He very clearly remembered (down to the tiniest of details) dying. It was not something he would willingly do again if he could help it._

"The Pool of Life chose you to be resurrected."

_" The Pool of Life?'" repeated Bardock, his frown vanishing to be replaced with a look comprising of surprise and confusion._

"Yes. It is an ancient magical pond that many of my people claimed was sentient; that it could feel and think and plot all on its own. Like a vast majority of my people I thought that that was beyond ridiculous. Surely no pool of water had the ability to think and act for itself." _The Kanassan chuckled. _"Anyhow…we have long known the history behind the Pool of Life. Or the stories that were passed down to us, anyway. We were told that it had the ability to grant to anyone it so chose a second chance at life. But it has been so long since anyone was resurrected by it that we all thought the stories to be just that: stories. But…you live again and I through your visions…So it must be true. You have changed the future of your death, Bardock, so I believe that you may yet be able to change your people's future."

_"Why me? What makes me so special?" Bardock frowned again. The trembling was subsiding a bit, but the lightning was still dancing erratically over his head._

"That I do not know, Bardock. But I can imagine that since you have renounced your former ways the Pool of Life saw something in you that I, nor anyone else, could see. I do not agree with its choice, Saiyan," _Bardock frowned as the Kanassan reverted back from saying his name, _"but as the Pool of Life has been around for far longer than I…well, I must trust its judgment. You apparently have a greater destiny than even you realize…"

_Bardock was silent. There wasn't much he could think to say in response to that…but…why? That was something he still couldn't understand and the Kanassan wasn't helping in the least. What could this Pool of Life supposedly see in him? He was a ruthless Saiyan warrior that had spent the majority of his life killing innocent races for profit. He looked down from the sky, lifting a hand to scratch at his cheek thoughtfully. He had always believed that he, and no one else, had control over his own destiny. But if he was alive now thanks to the machinations of a sentient pool of water (which led him to believe that maybe it was more than just a pool of water—possibly a form of life on the planet) then clearly there was more to fate than guiding oneself. Maybe there was something preordained about one's life…but no. That didn't make sense to him. Why would fate set him aside for something so great…?_

"Bardock, we must all face our fates eventually. Yours has come calling in a way that not even we Kanassans could have foreseen. Turn around."

_Bardock blinked and looked up again. He frowned and slowly complied. He wasn't usually one to take being ordered around so lightly, but his mind was still trying to wrap around this idea of fate and a sentient pool of water resurrecting him. Once he turned, all thoughts left his head. His eyes widened as he stared in the distance at a pillar of golden light stretching up from a distant island and piercing into the heavens. His dark eyes followed the light into the sky and he could see that large bolts of lightning were steadily raining down to the source of the light._

_He saw it before it reached him, but his mind could not make heads or tails of it. The waves of the water were rippling violently outward from the source of the light and he could see a streak in the air. Suddenly a gust of wind slammed into his chest so hard he felt the air leave his lungs. Raising up both arms to shield his face from the onslaught, he took several steps back as more gusts of wind slammed into him. Squinting into the torrent he could only wonder what he was witnessing in this vision. _

_As if the Kanassan had read his mind (which, quite frankly, he probably had) he said_, "What you are witnessing, Bardock, is a possible future for your people. The original future, actually. It could still happen if you do not stop Frieza yourself."

_"What's going on?"_

"What you see is the fight between your son and Frieza. At this point it has escalated into a spectacle far beyond anything that you have ever imagined. Your son, in this future, has become the Legendary Super Saiyan."

_Bardock's eyes went wide and he slowly sank to the ground, ignoring the gusts of wind still slamming into him. They were beginning to decrease in intensity and the lightning in the distance was arcing less and less. But the golden light remained, stretching from that island and into the sky. Possibly even into space…But none of that mattered. His son, Kakarrot, was destined to become a Super Saiyan. In this future. But what if he changed the present to alter this future? Then what?_

"Then the entire course of history as we know it will change. If you succeed in killing Frieza then your son will never have to fight for his life against him. Your son will not become the Legendary Super Saiyan…At least," _and Bardock heard the amusement in the Kanassan's voice, _"not today, anyhow. It is still in his future to become a Super Saiyan, but he will not become one against Frieza if the tyrant is already dead."

_Bardock heard what the alien said, but it was difficult to pay any attention to that. He could barely ignore the pride that had suddenly swelled up in his chest. _His_ son, not the king's son or anyone else's son, was destined to become a _Super Saiyan!_ How could anything else matter? But there were more important things going on. More pressing matters that were current. This future he was seeing was still more than twenty years away. But still…his son was to be a Super Saiyan. A proud smile graced his lips as he slowly stood back up._

"What will you do with this knowledge, Bardock?" asked the Kanassan.

_"The only thing I can, I guess," he responded coolly, still smiling. It quickly became a smirk and the world around him began to fade away as his mind slowly returned to his body. "Learn somethin' new." _

_**DBZ**_

"Bardock? Are you alive over there?"

Bardock opened his eyes slowly and he straightened in his chair. He glanced at Falmer in the pilot's seat and he frowned. "What?"

Falmer returned the frown with one of his own. "I've been trying to tell you that we're about to be at Jynn-jin 13 in less than five minutes. Tettuce is already orbiting the planet awaiting our arrival. Are you okay?"

The Saiyan grinned and nodded. "Of course I am. Patch me through to Tettuce."

Falmer stared at him dubiously, still frowning. Anyone that slept through another person consistently yelling at them was in no way okay. But Saiyans were far different than Gylderians so after a few seconds he shrugged and nodded. Within seconds the channel was open.

_"Bardock? Falmer? Where are you?" _Tettuce's voice demanded almost immediately.

Bardock chuckled. "Impatient as always. We're almost there," he answered before Tettuce could chide him for his smart-ass remark. "Just a few more minutes."

_"Good." _He hesitated for a moment, then said slowly, _"I don't know what to make of this…but a few minutes ago we saw four unidentified space pods enter the atmosphere. They looked like they belonged to the Ginyu Force."_

Bardock's grin faded and he frowned. "What? Why would the Ginyu Force come to Jynn-jin 13?"

_"I don't know. But be ready to face them. Bardock, I don't know if Ginyu or Recoome have grown any stronger than they were the last I faced them, but you need to be prepared to get Seripa and the others off the planet in the event that we cannot face them. No questions or back-talk. Do you understand?" _Tettuce's voice was firm and unrelenting. Bardock knew there was no arguing at this moment.

"Yeah, I understand. Now understand this, Tettuce," Bardock smirked, though his mentor could not see him. "I'll do what is necessary when the time comes. Got it?"

He was greeted with silence at first, but when Tettuce spoke Bardock could hear the smirk in his voice. _"Got it."_

"Exiting hyper space in T-minus ten seconds," spoke up Diamond from her seat on the other side of Falmer.

"Right. Killing the connection now." Falmer reached for the controls, glancing at Bardock.

"See you in a few, Old Man."

"10…9…8…7…"

_"Alright."_

Falmer killed the connection.

"4…3…2…1…Exiting hyper space now!" The ship bucked and the swirling vortex that surrounded the ship instantly vanished to be replaced by trillions of twinkling lights; and a single planet looming directly before them. They could see the two moons just peaking on the other side of the planet, looking like two round ears sprouting from the top of the planet. Out of their line of sight thanks to the positioning of the ship, they could just see the light of the distant sun.

And hovering just out of the atmosphere they could clearly see the sleek, brand new ship that Tettuce had acquisitioned for him and his crew in the search for Aurah and the others.

"Time to have some fun." Bardock grinned and rubbed his palms together. He was going to thoroughly enjoy going up against the Ginyu Force. He didn't know how strong he was in comparison to them, but he still had his tail and there was a fifty/fifty chance that he'd be able to see a full moon in the near future.

Hell had come to Jynn-jin 13; just as Tettuce promised.

_**DBZ**_

Four figures walked confidently through the haze of smoke that had now engulfed the once (semi) peaceful Jynn-jin city. Screams and distant explosions echoed all around the burning city. One-by-one the figures emerged from the smokescreen. The first was a tall purple alien with two black horns jutting out of the top of his bald head at an angle. His eyes were blood-red and he was smirking sinisterly as he casually fired a blast at a couple of fleeing Jynn-jin females; they vanished in a flash of light.

"Way to go, Major!" laughed the second to emerge. He was taller than the purple alien and greatly resembled the majority of other aliens in this particular quadrant. His skin was pale and he had an overall humanoid appearance. His eyes were dark brown and he had short red hair trimmed in a mohawk. His nose was flat as if it had been broken more than a few times in the course of his life.

The third figure to emerge from the smoke was shorter than the first two, but he greatly resembled the first. He, too, had red eyes and two jet-black horns jutting out of the top of his head. He appeared to be much younger than the first one, however.

The fourth, and final, figure to emerge from the smoke, which seemed to be getting thicker as they walked along, was the tallest of the group. His was a blue alien with a humanoid build, but his face was nowhere near that pattern. His large eyes were solidly red and he appeared to have no nose, although this was not true. His nose was flat, conforming completely to the shape of his face, and appeared only as two tiny slits anytime he was breathing deeply.

All four of them were wearing identical armor with the Ginyu Force emblem decorating the left chest plate of their white and black armor. They were the only four members of Frieza's most elite fighting squad.

The first alien chuckled low under his breath. "Recoome, I want you and Burter to get a bird's eye view of the city. Herd any survivors you can to one portion of the city. We will deal with them there. My son and I are going to go find these Saiyans that Lord Frieza wants so badly. Isn't that right, Junior?"

The other purple alien stiffened a bit at being called Junior, cutting his red eyes towards the taller purple alien. "Of course, Father," he murmured begrudgingly. He HATED being called 'Junior.' So what if he and his father shared a name and he was much younger than the others? Was age really all that important to them? He sighed as Recoome and the blue alien, Burter, levitated into the air and shot away in the blink of an eye at the orders from his father.

"Speak up, Junior," said the other alien as he turned to regard his son. "I can't hear a damn thing you say when you mumble. You know that my hearing isn't all it used to be," he said while digging a finger into his left ear for emphasis.

"Yes, Father." Junior took a breath and stepped up to stand beside his father. "So…where do you think these Saiyans are, anyway?"

Ginyu smiled slightly and looked around the desolate and destroyed street they were standing in the middle of. All around them were wrecked hover vehicles and burning buildings. Upon landing they had acted swiftly, delivering surprise attacks to the unsuspecting populace. Several Flazerians had already tried to fight them, but they had been dealt with easily enough. Though there hadn't yet been sign of this 'Colonel Flazamyn' that he was so anxious to fight against. He had heard that he was a worthy opponent from several reliable sources.

"No clue, son. But I am sure we'll find out soon enough. Come on." He jumped into the air and blasted off towards the center of the city, following an indicator on his scouter. It had not beeped because he had turned the sound off. He wasn't likely to hear it anyway, given his hearing issues. But he could see the indicators well enough anyway.

Junior watched his father fly off and he sighed again. He jumped into the air, blasting off much quicker to try and catch his much faster father. After a few moments he sidled up beside his father, pouring as much ki as he could spare into his flight just to match his pace with his father's. He knew that he was flying as fast as he could just to force him to use more of his energy. Junior rolled his eyes. How he hated his father's training methods. But then again, had his father not pushed him the way he had his entire life, he never would have made the Ginyu Force at such a young age. Hell, he was only in his twenties whereas everyone else was much older: Recoome was in his fifties; Burter was 46 (he loved to spout off his age because he was still considered extremely young according to his race); and his father was 68, still well in his prime.

"So where we headed, Father?"

Ginyu cut his eyes towards his son and grinned fiercely, his eyes narrowing sinisterly as he did. "Towards the strongest power reading on this whole planet. I am assuming that it is this Flazamyn clown. I've been itching to fight him for years so that's what I plan to do, first and foremost."

"What about Frieza's orders?"

"Oh they'll be taken care of. That's why you're coming with me." He laughed and glanced ahead just as they reached a building in their path; they blew straight through it, their burning auras vaporizing anyone in their paths.

"Should've known," Junior muttered. His father glanced sharply at him, narrowing his eyes menacingly as his grin faded.

"What was that?"

"I-I didn't say anything, Father," Junior quickly stuttered out.

Ginyu frowned at his son for a moment before shrugging and looking ahead again. His grin returned and he suddenly came to an abrupt stop, his aura vanishing with a loud whooshing sound.

"Looks like Flazamyn is coming to meet us," he said to his son as he back-tracked to hover beside his father. He nodded his head forward and Junior followed his gaze to see the Flazerian in question flying their way.

He came to a stop directly in front of them and folded his arms across his chest, scowling at them. "What the hell are you doing here, Ginyu? We've done nothing to Frieza to warrant such an unprovoked attack."

"Oh but I beg to differ," Ginyu responded with an icy laugh. "You are harboring wanted fugitives in your midst. Four Saiyans to be exact."

Flazamyn narrowed his eyes and glanced between the two of them. "You want the Saiyans? Well that's too bad, because you see, I'm afraid that as we speak they are being executed. In fact, by the time I take care of you two and return to check up on the process, I can safely assume that all four will be long-dead."

Ginyu frowned at this statement but then smiled again. "For your sake you better hope that that is just an empty bluff. Lord Frieza will be VERY angry with your Lord Ryo should anything deprive him of exacting his own punishment on those fugitives."

"Frieza wants them? That's funny…" Flazamyn arched a hairless brow. "Wait, exactly how did you find out they were here, anyway? Their being here was a very closely guarded secret."

Junior smirked, glancing at his father briefly to request permission to answer. When Ginyu nodded his smirk split into a grin and he looked back to Flazamyn. "Easy. Turns out someone on your planet contacted a certain Saiyan that goes by the name of Tettuce, alerting him to their presence here. And it just so happened that we intercepted that transmission, so Frieza sent us here to retrieve these Saiyans. And to capture Tettuce to bring to Frieza for his own, personal, enjoyment."

Flazamyn unfolded his arms, hovering forward a bit in surprise. "What?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening to almost impossible levels. He wasn't too bothered by the fact that someone had contacted someone off-world. No, he was more worried by the fact that they had contacted the HARBINGER OF DOOM! Purple beads of sweat trickled down the sides of his face as he thought that over. It had been several decades since he had last seen Tettuce and he had heard many rumors that the man was approaching a strength-level comparable to Frieza's. How much truth there was in those rumors, he did not know. He did, however, doubt that Tettuce was anywhere near as strong as Frieza. But if his strength was great enough to cause such rumors, then he would not have a chance. Nor would the two body-snatchers before him.

Ginyu chuckled at the silent Flazerian, which instigated a growl from Flazamyn. "Ooh, touchy Flazerian. Do you fear Tettuce?"

"I fear no one, Ginyu," Flazamyn seethed. "If what you say is true, then Tettuce will make short work of you." Flazamyn forced a strained smile. "Then I will take care of Tettuce."

Before anyone else could say anything, all three scouters came to life and started pointing towards a power reading that was emanating from behind Flazamyn. The two Ginyu's stared at their readouts, looking passed Flazamyn, who had turned around to stare in surprise in the direction he had flown in from. What the hell was that?

"The reading just climbed past 15,000…" murmured Junior, his hairless brows knitting together in confusion. "And it's still growing, Father."

"20,000…" The elder Ginyu frowned, but more out of acknowledgment that something strange was going on. The reading was still growing, yes, but it was still too far below his and his son's that he didn't see a cause for concern.

Flazamyn, on the other hand, was concerned. He frowned as he stared back towards the cell block. That reading couldn't possibly belong to a Jynn-jin and it didn't belong to any of his own men. Not a single one of them was capable of making their power skyrocket that way. Just what in the hell was going on back there?

Ginyu glanced at Flazamyn, his eyes narrowing. "I suggest you pay less attention to some insignificant power, and focus more on the issue at hand!" he growled as he yanked his scouter from his ear and tossed it absently to his son. "Unless, of course, you don't mind me sending you to an early grave!" He lunged forward, rearing his fist back preparing to launch into an attack.

Flazamyn spun around, his leg outstretched in a preemptive kick. Ginyu had other plans, however, as he suddenly phased out sight. He reappeared half a heart-beat later just above where the kick had flown, grinning down at the stunned Flazerian.

"Come on, you really expect me to be caught off-guard that easily?"

Flazamyn growled, clenching his fists tight. "Okay…you want me to be serious, I'll be serious." And with that he phased out of sight, reappearing much faster than Ginyu had, right before said man and delivered an elbow-strike directly to his nose, sending the purple alien flying backwards. He phased out of sight again, and a sonic-boom erupted from just behind Ginyu, interrupting his backwards flight and sending him sailing down into the ground below.

Junior watched wide-eyed as his father slammed face-first into the pavement below, a crater forming from the impact. He lifted his gaze to stare at Flazamyn as the Overseer of Jynn-jin 13 tore his cape from his shoulder-guards. He had never seen anyone attack his father so easily.

His father shot out of the dust that had kicked up from the impact and came to hover in front of Flazamyn, no trace of a smile anywhere in his features. A bit of purple blood was smudged across his cheek from the corner of his mouth. He calmly raised a gloved hand and wiped the blood away. His lips twisted into a smile that didn't quite reach his fiercely glaring eyes…

Junior suddenly smiled, a vicious look coming across his features. It had been such a long time since he had seen his father fight seriously. This was going to be good…

_**DBZ**_

_**Author's Note:**_  
_(Hey everyone. I hope you're enjoying the ride so far. Three chapters in less than a month, I think I'm on a roll. lol Anyway I want to thank everyone that has been reading and following this story since I started posting it. It's been really amazing and I never expected this story to be as popular as it is. I really appreciate all of the reviews that I have gotten and the personal messages, as well. And as long as there is someone still reading my story I will continue to post chapters until it is done. That being said...everyone get ready because this story is still far from complete. I still have so much more in store for the characters and they're ready for anything. I also want to say thanks to everyone that has commented on my O.C.'s. I put as much thought and personality into them as I can, and each chapter is more fun than the last. And once again my thanks go out to the best beta-reader ever, **Shadow-Majin**, who I understand has posted a new story recently. If you've never read any of his stuff you need to. He is an amazing writer and his stories are always awesome. Anyway, please continue to read/review. For now, Individual Lies out.)_

_(P.S. This chapter is my longest chapter to date! Woot! lol)_


	11. Bad Company

_**Chapter Eleven: Bad Company**_

"_Rebel souls, deserters we've been called.  
Chose a gun and threw away the sun  
Now these towns  
Well they all know our name  
The death punch sound  
Is the claim of fame.  
And that's why they call me…"  
__** Bad Company-Five Finger Death Punch**_

_**DBZ**_

* * *

Berik was at a full-on sprint as he ran through a long dark corridor. The echo of his foot falls sounded all around him, but he paid them no mind. Over his head the hallway was dimly lit by the occasional flickering light. It was an old chamber; that much was apparent. It led under a mountain to the north of the Jynn-jin 13 capital city to an old hidden bunker that had been used in the past for protecting key Jynn-jin officials. It was here that he had hidden away the surviving Gylderians to protect them from the wrath of the Flazerians.

He was moving as quickly as he could due to the rapidly unfolding events in the city. When the Ginyu Force had made their presence known he had quickly slipped away from the facility that held the Saiyans to reach Lady Aurah and the other four survivors to get them to an even safer zone. He knew very well how the Ginyu Force was and he did not want to risk their safety. Particularly not with Tettuce en route to rescue them. The better the condition they were in, the better Tettuce would treat him and his people. Of course, Berik knew that he would have to suffer for the things he had done in the last year. For the last twenty-five years, even. But he was prepared to accept any and all consequences.

Berik slipped as he ran, his hand reaching out to brace against the wall. Over the years moisture had dripped down from the ceiling and because it was so far underground, and lacked sufficient heat in the corridor, it had created puddles that had eventually frozen into thin sheets of ice. Constantly traversing the corridor, though, helped to alleviate the majority of the puddles. But there were still a few scattered throughout the hallway. Getting his footing right, he continued down the hallway, finally reaching a thick metal door at the end of it. The door was opened in a flash and he slammed it just as quick, startling the five occupants who all spun to face him, their apprehension apparent on their dull-silver faces. Except for Aurah, who stood tall and defiant, glaring at the Jynn-jin the instant he entered.

Berik panted heavily, his hands on his knees as he looked at them from over the top of his askew glasses. Pushing them back in place, he straightened up with a deep breath.

"What the hell do you want, Jynn-jin?" spat Aurah angrily. She had every right to be angry. After all, she and the others had been hidden away there for months; for so long she wasn't even sure exactly how long it had been. And worse still she had had no idea whether or not they would live past the next day. She was frustrated; she was angry; she was livid. There just were not enough words to describe the way she felt.

Berik glanced over his shoulder quickly, half-expecting someone to burst in through the door behind him. "The Ginyu Force is here-"

"What?" Sushinae broke in, stepping forward a bit before stopping herself. She frowned in an attempt to hide the fear in her eyes.

He turned back to face the group of Gylderians. "The Ginyu Force is here. They are in the city as we speak…"

"Yes," murmured Aurah as she frowned, concentrating her attention on the city. She could sense several high powers; three were clustered together while two were nearer to a plethora of smaller powers…but that's not what caught her attention. She snapped her head back, her eyes practically boring holes into the ceiling as her eyes widened. She could feel three very familiar powers; two of them were rapidly descending onto the city. The other one was racing closer and closer to the planet. It was faint compared to the others, but she knew it would reach them soon. But still...her lips twisted into a smile and she turned to Sushinae suddenly. "Tettuce is here!"

Berik blinked in surprise, his mouth falling open. He still hadn't gotten used to the Glyderian's ability to read the power of another person. But he smiled slightly and let out a quiet sigh. "Good. I was worried he would not make it in time."

Aurah frowned and turned back to him before Sushinae could respond, "What do you mean?"

"I had my nephew contact him a few days ago to come retrieve you. I have been trying to secure yours and your friends' freedom. But working to that extent with so many Flazerians around has been difficult. I am, as I have said often, an ally."

One of the other survivors, a male Glyderian (in fact the very male who had spoken out against Seripa's idea aboard the ship) scoffed. "You expect us to believe that?" He gestured around at the bland, concrete room. It was barely thirty feet by thirty feet with no place for anyone to sleep. They had had to build pallets out of second-hand mattresses that Berik had supplied them with. "You stick us in this hell-hole and expect us to believe that you are an ally? What the fuck ever. I mean-"

Aurah turned sharply to the man and snapped, "Blythe that is quite _enough_! I am Matron of Gylder so just keep your mouth shut. I do not care if you are one of Zether's most prized protégés, I will not stand your attitude!"

Blythe shrank back in surprise, his slightly luminescent green eyes wide in shock. He looked down, locks of his glistening brown hair falling into his face. He was always getting into trouble with Aurah, but this was the first time she had ever yelled at him so.

Aurah watched him for a moment before turning back to Berik, her brightly luminescent eyes glaring at him intensely. She suddenly threw off her thick robe and stuck her hands to her hips. "We are leaving, Berik."

Berik blinked again, his eyes falling to the woman's waist where he was surprised to see a silver and brown tail wrapped snugly around her waist. Was she part Saiyan?

"Yes, I am half-Saiyan," she said after noting the perplexed look on his face and following his gaze to her tail. She smirked and said, "And that means I am much stronger than you, so do not try and stop me. Now move," she ordered firmly, moving towards the door.

He quickly moved aside. "You must try and reach Tettuce before the Ginyu Force is aware of your presence. I think that they are here for the Saiyans, but I cannot be sure."

Sushinae looked up sharply, noticing for the first time the distant power that was racing to the planet; the others had already landed somewhere near the city. Her eyes widened with the dawning of realization. "That's Zether!"

Aurah smiled and threw open the door. "Yes, the cavalry has arrived." She looked back to Berik as the others filed out of the door before her. She grinned, flashing her elongated Gylderian fangs at the Jynn-jin. "Tettuce will reach _us_ long before the Ginyu Force knows we are here." And with that she took off running down the long corridor, following after the rest of her people.

Berik stared after them with a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. He chuckled and lowered his head, his shoulders shaking with his laughter…Then he sank to his knees as the shaking became more violent and he lifted his hands to his face and sobbed into them quietly.

He hated the things he had done to such a peaceful people. Oh how he hated Ryo and Frieza and everyone else that had pushed his own people to this point. But most of all…he hated the man who had assassinated Prince Jaxom all those years ago.

He hated the Saiyan known as Turpin.

_****_

**_DBZ_**

_**

* * *

**_

Tettuce dropped down beside Falmer's ship and quickly removed his sleek black helmet. His cape flapped behind him as the helmet condensed down into its portable state and he quickly slipped it into the front of his armor. He had elected to leave the bigger ship in orbit and had instead flown down on his own, just as he had when he'd gone to help Seripa in her fight with Turles. Falmer's ship was small, but it was easily big enough to carry the group they were coming to rescue. He didn't want to take any chances on the new ship somehow getting damaged, or worse, destroyed in the potential battle that was still to come.

He turned to survey the city as the hatch on the jet-black ship opened and Bardock dropped down behind him. Tettuce frowned. He could sense three high powers straight ahead; one was relaxed while the other two were spiking and falling in the tell-tale signs of battle.

Bardock narrowed his eyes and scowled as he folded his arms. "I can't tell what the hell's goin' on. Falmer, this skill you taught me is useless!"

Falmer dropped out of the ship and chuckled as he walked up to stand on the other side of Tettuce. "I told you to practice with it. Calm down and feel the power out."

Tettuce glanced sideways at his former apprentice, meeting the man's gaze. He was vaguely aware that Bardock was wearing fairly standard-style armor, not to mention the only thing he was wearing on his torso was a black and gray battle-jacket. He was somewhat startled that he and Bardock were near to each other in height (though Tettuce was just a hair taller) but he smiled slightly as the other man folded his bare arms across his chest. "So you can sense power readings, eh?"

The other Saiyan scoffed, "Barely. I know something's goin' on, but I can't tell what." He paused and looked off to his left. "Wait…what's that growin' over there?" He narrowed his eyes and did his best to clear and calm his mind (no small feat for him) but he couldn't make heads or tails of what he was sensing.

Tettuce followed his gaze, feeling out the power in question. Immediately his eyes shot open. "Incredible! That…that's Seripa!"

Bardock spun on the man. "What? Seripa? Is it a powerful reading?"

"Yes, it is. Very powerful compared to where she was this time last year…" He paused then, frowning slightly. "Her power is still growing…Speaking of growing, your hair…"

Bardock shrugged as he frowned. "I don't know. It's a long story anyway…"

Falmer stared incredulously in the direction Seripa's power was emanating from. "She's already stronger than me…" he said breathlessly. He had heard about this Seripa numerous times. Everything he had heard had indicated that she was strong, but nowhere near _this_ strong. How had her power grown so much? And why was it still growing?

Bardock was wondering the same thing. To him the sensation was faint, but even he could tell that it was growing larger by the second. He, too, was stronger than Falmer. When he had first met the man he hadn't been, but his strict training regimen for the past nine months had increased his strength extraordinarily. But this…Seripa's power was nearing his own. And the way it was growing told him that it would probably surpass his…

Tettuce glanced back in the direction he had sensed the three other powers. "With power like that Seripa can handle herself…We need to go investigate that disturbance over there." He nodded his head in the direction he was referring to and the other men followed his gaze.

Bardock couldn't help but cast a last glance in Seripa's direction before he took to the air behind Tettuce and Falmer. He would have preferred to go to her first, but…He had to wait.

Falmer suddenly stopped, glancing north. The other two paused and glanced back at him.

"What is it?" asked Tettuce, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I sense my sister heading this way."

Tettuce spun sharply in mid-air, extending his senses toward the north…a second later a smile lit up his face. "Aurah!" He quickly turned to Falmer. "Stay with the ship and wait for them. Bardock and I are going to take care of the situation ahead. Tell Aurah I will see her soon…" He paused, frowning slightly. Glancing around he quickly felt out other powers. His frown deepened when he felt two more strong powers to the far west of the city. "In fact, take her and the others to the other ship. I don't want anyone caught in the crossfire because I intend to make as many people pay as I can." His eyes narrowed and he took off, his aura alighting instantly.

Bardock stared after Tettuce before grinning. It was time to fight! Without waiting for Falmer to say anything, he too took off, his own aura erupting to life as he shot away to catch up to his mentor.

Falmer stared after them for a moment before turning and flying the short distance back to his ship.

_**DBZ**__**

* * *

**_

Pain. That was the only thing that Seripa felt as she huddled on her knees in the corridor of the cellblock. Her body was surrounded by a raging red aura that spiraled around her in a vortex. The force of the energy that her body was emanating had blown Amotto, Broco, and Nepu down the hallway. Only Turles was still standing, but he had had to power up to his max (which was considerably greater than it had been the year before; peculiar given his captivity, but that hadn't stopped him from doing what little training he could) just to remain standing.

Seripa didn't know how long she had been suffering through the power increase, but her body felt like it was on fire. Pain washed over her, engulfing her from head to toe as the aura whipped about her body madly. The remote that had initiated the increase was in two pieces before her; she had crushed it almost immediately when the pain consumed her being. She could feel that her power was growing drastically, but now she just wanted it to end. She wanted it to end. To just stop. Why wouldn't it stop?

She threw her head back, her eyes wide open as a screech of pain tore through her vocal cords, threatening to rip them to shreds. "WHY WON'T IT END?" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Nepu, hunkered down behind the much stronger Turles, who incidentally was having a hell of a time standing at this point, grimaced at the question. In the preliminary testing of the nano-bots Berik had noted that the process caused considerable pain to the subject. He would have ended it for her if he could have, but she had destroyed the remote and it was the only way to deactivate the nano-bots. At this point all she could hope was that they would short-circuit.

Without warning the aura vanished from around her body, the tornado of power vanishing with it. Seripa sat on her knees with her head thrown back, her eyes wide as she stared up at the ceiling. Sweat poured in rivulets down the side of her face as she panted heavily. It was…over? Just like that? Her eyes closed slowly and she fell to her back, her knees bent oddly beneath her.

Before the others could recover and rush to her, the door at the far end slid open and two Flazerian soldiers rushed in. Both wore identical armor and identical scouters with blue lenses.

The first, much taller, Flazerian faltered in midstride as he glanced around at the Saiyans and then at Nepu. He frowned, snarling as he drew his upper lip back in disgust. "Did you release the Saiyans, Nepu?"

Turles stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "It's been a while since I last fought, so this should be a damn good warm-up."

The other Flazerian looked up from Seripa's prone form and chuckled. "You really think you can stand against Comaman, _Saiyan?_"

Turles frowned and looked the Flazerian over. "He don't seem that strong."

The first Flazerian, Comaman, grinned. "I don't? Oh, well, then…" He trailed off as he raised one arm up, holding his palm open towards Turles. There was a flash of light as he fired off a blast at the Saiyan teenager.

Turles barely had time to register the attack before the thin beam blew into and through his stomach and then exited out from just above where his tail was wrapped around his waist. Blinking slowly, a look of astonished horror on his face, Turles looked down at the bloody hole in his abdomen. He dropped to his knees as he clutched at the wound. Hell, he hadn't even had a chance to fight!

"Turles!" Amotto rushed to the boy just as he fell to his back. She dropped beside him, lifting him up carefully. "Oh, Turles…" she mumbled as her brows knitted together, her eyes raking over the wound. She turned to glare at Comaman. "Bastard!"

Broco grimaced and quickly put himself between the Flazerian and Amotto and Turles. "I'll hold him off. Get Turles and Seripa outta here!" He dropped into a wide stance, both fists clenched tightly as he regarded the grinning Flazerian. But he suddenly blinked and dropped his stance a bit.

Comaman, who had advanced past the prone form of Seripa, almost as if he had not noticed her, noticed the look on Broco's face. He paused and, frowning, glanced over his shoulder. His eyes went wide when he spotted his comrade being held off the ground by a tiny hand wrapped firmly around his throat. He quickly followed the arm to the owner of the hand and his eyes went even wider as he saw that it was the Saiyan female that had been lying on the floor just a few moments before.

Seripa was ignoring the Flazerian in her grip. Her violet eyes were glaring at Comaman. "I'll make you pay for what you did to Turles…" She released the now unconscious (dead?) Flazerian, and before he had even dropped a few centimeters, she was gone, reappearing an instant later to plant her small, but exceedingly, powerful fist in the stomach of Comaman. As the blow lifted him from his feet, she brought her other fist up to slam into his chin, which lifted him up and towards the ceiling. But still, before he had gone too far, she quickly flipped back and planted both feet squarely in his stomach, sending him flying backwards down the corridor. He slammed into the far wall, his body becoming embedded in the solid metal. While the steel was still groaning, his head slumped forward into unconsciousness just as Seripa landed on her feet in the silent corridor.

She blinked and looked around at the others, who were all (Turles included) staring at her as if they'd never seen her before.

"What?"

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

Tettuce came to a screeching halt, his head snapping in Seripa's direction.

Bardock nearly ran him over. Huffing in annoyance, the younger man drew up beside his former mentor. "What's the problem?" he asked when he noticed the strange expression on Tettuce's face.

Tettuce frowned and murmured, "Seripa's power just vanished. I can't sense a…" he trailed off and his eyes widened…and widened…and his jaw dropped open. "Oh…"

"What is it?" Bardock demanded, absently reaching out a hand to grab Tettuce's arm firmly.

Tettuce looked at him with a slight smile. "You should be very proud of her, Bardock."

Bardock blinked and quickly looked in the direction of Seripa's power, narrowing his eyes as he focused in on it. There it was…he frowned and glanced at Tettuce who just nodded. He looked in the direction of her power again, this time in awe. His use of the ability to sense powers was still lacking, he knew, but even he could sense the intensity in her power. He could feel that she was incredibly powerful. Much more powerful than he had ever thought possible of her.

He blinked as there was a sudden spike in her power, but it was small. He could vaguely feel another power dip in response…and an instant later it was gone altogether. He smirked and glanced at Tettuce. "I think she's got that under control."

"You're right. Come on, we're almost there." Tettuce turned and shot away, but not as fast as before. They were almost on top of Ginyu and Flazamyn, now.

Bardock followed after his mentor and within a few minutes they were coming up on the two fights. Ginyu and Flazamyn were trading blow for blow while a smaller man, identical to Ginyu, hovered nearby watching.

Tettuce came to a stop just above the fight, still out of sight of Junior. He looked at Bardock slowly, his expression blank. "Ginyu has the ability to hide his full power, so whatever you are sensing from him is inaccurate."

Bardock glanced sharply at his mentor. "Glad you told me, because I was just about to dive in and attack." He grinned fiercely at Tettuce, who grinned back.

The taller Saiyan looked back down as he casually lifted a hand to first one shoulder-guard and then the next. A moment later his guards, as well as his cape, dropped from his shoulders and to the devastated city below. As the cape dropped into his line of sight, Junior looked up, startled. "Father! Tettuce is here!"

Ginyu cast a quick glance at his son, then drove his big purple fist into Flazamyn's gut, and quickly slammed his elbow down into the back of his head, sending him spiraling to the ground below as Ginyu redirected his gaze to the two Saiyans hovering overhead. He grinned. "So good to see you again, Tettuce!"

Tettuce narrowed his eyes. "Can't say I agree, Major."

Ginyu chuckled as he hovered up to their level. "Yes, yes. I am still a major. But I hear that you have advanced quite a bit further in the rankings than I have. General, if I am not mistaken, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. General Tettuce." He sneered and clenched his fists at his sides. "And now I'm going to pay you back for the humiliation you caused me!"

Ginyu laughed. "Bring it on, Saiyan!" He lunged forward at the same time as Tettuce.

Bardock watched in wide-eyed surprise as the two warriors met and were instantly fighting, fists and feet flying as they tried to get a hit in. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It had been so long since he had seen Tettuce fight, but this was beyond anything he could remember. The power he felt emanating from Tettuce was astounding! But could he stand against Ginyu…?

It was then that Bardock noticed Junior hovering in front of him. He frowned and snarled at him. "What do you want, boy?"

Junior grinned, looking just like his father, and unfolded his arms from his chest. "To fight you, Saiyan!" he said, emphasizing the 'saiyan' with a sharp jab of his finger towards Bardock.

"That's too bad. I don't fight children." Bardock returned his gaze to Ginyu and Tettuce.

But Junior wasn't having any of that. As soon as he looked away, Junior rushed in and delivered a sound blow to the side of Bardock's face. Expecting him to fly back from the hit, Junior was surprised, and then horrified, to find Bardock glaring at him from behind the fist pressing into his scarred cheek.

"Stupid kid, real stupid." There was a flash, and then Junior was plummeting to the ground, his cheek stinging smartly. He caught himself and instantly charged back up to Bardock, drawing his fist back ready to pound the saiyan into the dirt!

He rose rapidly and was on top of Bardock in an instant, his fist flying forward with hundreds of times the force he had used at first…

"Tsk, tsk…" Junior stared in dismay at the gloved hand that was enclosed around his own. He looked up at Bardock, his eyes wide in surprise. "I warned you, kid." Bardock brought his other hand around and slammed his fist into Junior's face hard enough to seen him flying down to the ground.

Bardock watched as he slammed into the ground. As the cloud of dust rose into the air, he looked back up to Ginyu and Tettuce to see that they were still fighting at what seemed to be an even pace. Blow for blow they were racing across the sky. First one way and then back the other way, circling around each other as their fists and feet lashed and clashed. Bardock narrowed his eyes as he noticed that the two fighters had electricity crackling around their battling forms.

Junior hovered back up in front of Bardock, a trickle of blood flowing from his bruised nose. He was glaring at the Saiyan warrior with a look of pure loathing. It was enough to make Bardock raise an eyebrow.

"So you pissed or something? Listen kid, that's what you get. If you're not strong enough to take a lazy punch then you don't need to attack a veteran fighter!" Bardock growled as he folded his arms.

Junior quirked the corner of his lips up in a crooked smile. "I am pissed, but not at you. I grossly underestimated your power. I assumed, because you're a Saiyan, that you couldn't possibly be on par with us. I was careless." He suddenly brought both arms up from his sides, and held them fully outstretched from his body at shoulder-height. He kicked his left leg up with a flourish and began to bend his arms at the elbows while bending his leg at the knee repeatedly. "The Carelessness Dance! To remind myself never to be so damn careless again!" He began to roll his head around on his neck.

Bardock stared on in wide-eyed amazement at the baffling sight before him. There was a life-or-death battle raging on in front of them and this purple freak was acting like…well, a freak.

"What the hell _are_ you doing?" Bardock demanded irritably.

Junior froze and glared at Bardock as if he'd forgotten he was there. "I just told you!"

"If you want to fight, then fight! Enough of this foolish dancing!"

"He's right, Junior!"

Bardock and Junior spun to stare across at Ginyu and Tettuce. They had broken apart and were measuring each other up. Ginyu was hovering closer to them than Tettuce was, so he had heard the exchange. But he was grinning maliciously at Tettuce.

"What say you and me stop this playing around, Tettuce? Let's cut loose and really show what we are capable of."

Tettuce smirked and cocked an eyebrow. "I don't think you could really handle my full power, Major."

"Nor I, you, General."

Tettuce's smirk split into a grin. "Well then, if that's the way you want it…Bardock, you might want to put some distance between yourself and us." He cast his protégé a glance. "Whatever you remember of my power from before, you need to forget it. I am _much_," his subtle emphasis on the word clued Bardock in, "stronger than I was back then." His gaze held his old student's for a moment longer then he looked back at Ginyu. "How 'bout starting us off?"

"Gladly."

While Ginyu took up his stance and purple sparks began to crackle around his arms and torso, Bardock spun around in midair and shot about a hundred feet away. Stopping he quickly spun back around to watch events unfold. He barely saw the punch as Junior dove on him, punching and kicking.

Bardock flew back away from him quickly, dodging and blocking the punches and kicks that were thrown his way. "What the hell are you doing? I'm trying to watch them fight!" He caught Junior's fist and delivered a jaw-shattering right hook. Junior's head barely recoiled back and he locked a steely-eyed glare on the Saiyan warrior. Bardock's eyes shot wide open as he stared in open-mouthed shock at the young man, barely more than a teenager, hovering before him as casually as if he hadn't just taken a ferocious hit.

"Let's not worry with their fight," he said with a smirk. "We have our _own_ fight to worry about."

Bardock frowned as he regarded Junior. It wasn't rare for him to encounter a warrior whose abilities were often misleading, but he had hit the boy once already, pretty soundly too, and he had dropped out of the air quicker than a dropped fly. But now he had taken a much more solid blow and he had brushed it off as if it had been a tickle. It bothered Bardock more that while he was not fighting at full power yet, he wasn't far from reaching it. He had had to use a lot of his power to just keep up with Tettuce, who had been flying faster than Bardock had seen him fly before. It bothered him that he was almost at full power and the boy had merely shrugged off his punch. He scowled and ground his teeth and balled his hands into tight fists. He would win, but he would have to keep his wits about him.

Junior raised an eyebrow. "You getting cold feet, old man?"

Bardock's eye twitched just slightly. "'Old man?'" he repeated in a cold tone.

"Yeah. 'Old man!'"

Bardock lunged forward with a bright burst from his aura and slammed his fist soundly into Junior's cheek sending him flying backwards. With the aura still burning, Bardock immediately charged after his retreating body and jack hammered him down towards the ground. He rocketed down under the boy's falling form, leaving a trail of blue behind him, and stopped and spun around to look up at him.

With the aura still raging around his body, Bardock threw his right arm down and immediately began to gather ki into a blue orb in his palm. He narrowed his eyes and thrust his hand up above his, grasping his wrist with his left hand. "Picked this up on Planet Vaniil. Forgot the name, but it was something like 'Burning Vaanilian…something.' I call it the 'Spirit Burn.'" The orb in his palm suddenly tripled in size and his body seemed to expand as power flowed all around his body. "Mulitple Thrice!" He thrust his hand towards Junior and fired off the blast which immediately expanded to nearly twice his body size and roared up to meet Junior.

Junior opened his eyes and looked down at the raging blue blast and his eyes immediately widened. He crossed his arms over his chest and tucked his knees close to his torso just as the blast met him. It impacted and a bright flash lit the sky as it exploded, washing everyone in blinding light.

As the light faded and the dust and smoke drifted around him, Bardock lowered his arms as he took heavy breaths. The Spirit Burn was a draining technique, but its ability to multiply the user's strength and speed was a useful weapon to have in his arsenal. He tried to limit his uses of it as he had not yet quite perfected the technique, He had learned of the original skill from what a dying Vaniilian warrior told him. Based on what he had heard he had managed to develop Spirit Burn, but as it was heavily draining if not used properly he often decided against using it at any time. He stared for a moment trying to see through the dust and smoke, but it was still too thick. He did not see any movement so he turned his gaze to where Ginyu was still powering up. He narrowed his eyes as he concentrated on the purple fighter's power.

Beads of sweat beaded on his brow and neck as a sharp prickling sensation in the back of his head accompanied the power that washed over him. His eyes were wide in surprise as he felt out the obviously much higher power. He quickly looked at Tettuce, but his former mentor was merely watching passively as he awaited his foe. His expression was unreadable, but there was an unmistakable gleam in his eyes as he watched Ginyu with predatory focus. Bardock took a breath; if Tettuce wasn't worried than he needn't be.

Chuckling brought his attention back to the clearing dust and his eyes narrowed some more as he spotted Junior hovering just beyond the shroud of wafting smoke.

Junior grinned and looked down at his armor. The shoulder-guards and the thigh-guards had been blown off by the attack. The main chest-piece was still largely intact, though it was cracked all over. "I'm not one to praise or fawn over a fighter, but I must give credit where it is due. You, my Saiyan pal, are a top-notch fighter. My father's told me about techniques like that one. He says they were fairly common a few decades ago, but they quickly went out of style." His grin broadened to show off his fangs. "It seems they were notorious for draining the users."

Bardock's eye twitched, but he merely smiled in response. "Yeah the Spirit Burn can do that. That's why I only recommend it to seasoned practitioners. Warriors who actually _know_ how to fight." His smile split into a grin.

Junior's own grin faded and he glared at Bardock. So taunts just bounced off this guy, eh? He smiled again. "In that case, I'll show you how to fight!" He lunged forward and Bardock dropped back into a defensive posture as he met him.

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

Seripa, now wearing her once-confiscated green and black battle-jacket, skimmed low over the city with her eyes on the explosions from the distant fighting. The other Saiyans, Turles included, were flying behind her. Turles had cauterized his wound with his own ki (something that seemed to hurt, judging by his curses) and then immediately announced himself fit to fight. Granted he winced a bit if he moved wrong, other than that the wound didn't seem to be too significant. It had fortunately missed any major arteries or organs.

As the four Saiyans flew along (they had left Nepu behind, who said he was going to find his uncle anyway) they looked down upon the smoldering ruins of the city. Before the Ginyu Force had unleashed terror upon its citizens, the city hadn't looked much better. It had been the victim of a bad economy and the city had fallen into shambles. The arrival of the Ginyu Force had merely turned empty and abandoned buildings into flaming empty and abandoned buildings. People were fleeing in terror, but not in the masses that the Ginyus probably would have expected. They certainly weren't fleeing in the numbers that the Saiyans had expected.

Seripa sighed and shook her head. Fury swept through her and with it, came a shockwave of her new power. She barely restrained it before she lost control of it. It threatened to do that. She certainly had not been prepared to receive so much power in such a short amount of time. She had to admit that she lacked the experience to wield such power. A year ago she also thought that since she had surpassed Bardock's last known power reading that she was strong. How naïve she had been to think that that had been strength. This threatening torrent that hid in her small frame was strength the likes of which she had never before thought possible. She was willing to wager that she could hold her own against even Tettuce on terms of strength. Fighting skill, now that was another thing.

"So what's the plan?" grumbled Turles as he ran his hand over his sweaty face. He claimed to be fit enough to fly, but he was getting winded pretty rapidly. Broco had suggested that it was possible that the blast had grazed his lung, and had further suggested that he keep his fighting to a minimum. Turles had grumbled a response, but grudgingly agreed to avoid the heavier fighting, should it become necessary.

Amotto glanced over at him and gestured at the distant explosions. "We're heading there, obviously."

"No shit!" he snapped irritably.

Amotto smiled peevishly, but Broco chuckled and responded. "We survive, Turles. There's no other plan than that, really."

"Yeah," added Seripa. "We've lasted this long so we ALL have to make it off this planet alive." She glanced around at them with a stern glare. So much had happened in the last year, but they had all survived and adapted and grown stronger for it. Of course, for some reason they had all looked to her for guidance in the wake of their race's annihilation. But despite her protests and reluctance in taking the role, she had somehow taken to it. Especially in recent months. She had fallen into a funk for a long time because of her decision to jump into hyper-space that had ultimately landed them in this mess in the first place. But that was in the past and the present was happening now.

Her crew and captain were dead and gone. On that dead desolate plant so far away where she had first met Amotto and the others, she had sworn to find herself a new life. Seripa looked at Turles and then at Broco and Amotto. She smiled slightly at her new crew. Turles had started out as an enemy but the last year had changed him. Like Broco and Amotto he was a part of her crew and he was a friend. And Seripa was their captain. She grinned and looked back to the explosions that were drawing ever closer as they flew on. She would be the best damn captain that she could be. She would make Bardock very proud of her.

"Besides, I'm only asking 'cause Nepu did say to head north to where the Gylderians are." Turles said, bringing Seripa back to her senses.

"That's right, I'd almost forgotten." She frowned and glanced at Broco who was tinkering with the two scouters they'd recovered from the Flazerians. "Any luck with those?" For some reason they were not in their factory setting of Galactic Standard, instead switched to Flazerian. She supposed that made sense, but most races opted to use the Galactic Standard dialect because all races in the universe had a variation of it. Legend had it that Galactic Standard was the evolved form of the original language of the universe, explaining why every race in the universe could speak with one another sensibly. For the most part anyway.

Broco shook his head as he turned the one he had in his hands over. "No, afraid not. They're locked in their own language for some reason. If I could understand their language I might be able to use one, but I can't so we can't use these." He shrugged and looked up at her.

Seripa slowed down and they matched her pace. She glanced north and then looked to the explosions. She frowned and sighed in exasperation. Nepu had told them to go north, but her guts were screaming at her to head to the explosions. She assumed that was because of her natural instinct to fight. But something in her heart told her to go there, not to fight, but to…to what? She didn't know and that bothered her. But against her better judgment she found herself gazing off at the distant explosions and she unconsciously began to fly towards them. When it became obvious that was where she was leading them, she closed her eyes for a moment.

Her crew was a good one, but only she and Turles had power readings over 20,000. Broco and Amotto had gotten much stronger since they started fighting with her, but they were still far too weak to try and fight the Ginyu Force. She opened her eyes slowly and sighed. If they all went then she would have to watch over them.

She made her decision. "The scouters are useless to us then, Broco. I want you three to go meet up with Aurah and the others. Make sure they make it to safety. No arguing!" she snapped when Turles opened his mouth to protest. "Turles, you're already hurt enough as it is. If you go to the fight then you may get hurt worse, or you might get killed! Amotto and Broco, you two have improved greatly but you're still not at a level to contend with the Ginyus."

"What about you?" asked Amotto as she frowned at Seripa.

"I'm strong enough to take care of myself so don't worry about that. Just stay safe and take care of each other." Without another word Seripa shot away with a burst of her violet aura. She was out of sight within seconds.

Turles and the others drew to a stop and the teenager spat down into the city. "She gets strong and suddenly we're too weak to do anything!"

Broco tossed both scouters into the city and looked at Turles. "She's right, though. There's no sense in taking unnecessary risks."

"She's taking a bigger risk by going in alone," grumbled Turles as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Maybe. But she's a lot stronger than any of us and she's been fighting a lot longer to boot." Broco smiled. "You had just barely enlisted when all of this happened. Amotto was a computer tech and after I lost my eye," he looked down as an old memory came to the surface of his mind. He shoved it back down and continued speaking, "I was a Tactical Officer and Communications Officer, but I did no more actual fighting. Seripa, on the other hand, has been fighting with Bardock's crew since she was thirteen. She's seen things that we can barely imagine and has had to survive in conditions as bad as these, if not worse." He looked back up and looked between Amotto and Turles. "She can handle herself."

"Yeah, true," murmured Amotto as she continued to stare after her friend. She sighed and shook her head. Seripa was another kind of woman altogether. She'd been running with the big dogs for so long that she had somehow become one of them.

Turles glanced north, shielding his eyes from the sun dipping down to the horizon in the west. "I say we hurry and find Aurah. Tettuce'll be pissed if anything happens to her."

Amotto shook herself out of her daze and nodded. "Right."

The three Saiyans turned north and blasted away.

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

(_Individual Lies here! I know it's been a while since I last posted but I've been caught up in the river of life and the current's pretty bad all year round. Anyway, things are getting intense aren't they? I hope ya'll will continue to stick around for the ride because this is just the beginning. I want to thank you all for reading this story. I know this is just chapter eleven, but it seems so long ago that I was just writing a spontaneous one-shot prequel that somehow turned into all of this. I'm having a lot of fun writing this and I really enjoy all of your reviews. I apologize for not getting back to you as I had in the past, but things are going to be changing a bit here in the future. So, if you will continue to read and review I will continue to write and post. And to wrap things up I would once again like to extend my thanks to my ever-awesome beta-reader, __**ShadowMajin**__! I highly suggest taking a look at his stories, and he has a new one out that is really good. So go read it! Lol)_


	12. Monster: Part I

_**Chapter 12: Monster**_

_"The secret side of me, I never let you see  
I keep it caged but I can't control it  
So stay away from me, the beast is ugly  
I feel the rage and I just can't hold it."_

_**Monster-Skillet**_

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

Falmer saw them before they descended upon the ship. Beside him Diamond trembled nervously. He gripped her shoulder reassuringly as he stood up and hurriedly left the ship to meet them before they landed. He was still just a few meters from the ship when the Saiyans drew up before him warily. He smiled at them warmly and bowed his head slightly.

"It is so good to see you safe. You must be Seripa." He smiled at the green-haired female. She wasn't really what he'd expected from he'd been told. But the horizontal scar across her face was definitely an indication of battle.

"Actually no, I'm not. My name is Amotto." She turned her head and nodded towards the distant explosions. "Seripa went there."

Falmer blinked and then nodded slightly. "My mistake." He looked over at Turles and he smiled brightly. "You look just like your brother!"

Broco and Amotto winced and they both floated away from the teenager a bit. But to their surprise he merely shrugged. Either he really didn't care or he was just really worn out from flying.

"I know. A genetic trait for males to resemble their sires in my family. It'll probably die with me, too," he said with a hint of regret in his tone. He looked down quietly.

"Oh that's not likely. See, Bardock and Seripa's son, Kakarott is still alive and on a planet called Earth. There's also Raditz to consider, because he's still alive. And then Bardock—"

"Bardock's dead," Turles said as he lifted his head to give Falmer a startled look.

Falmer blinked again and then chuckled. "My apologies. Let me start from the beginning…My name is Falmer. I came here with Tettuce and Bardock who, I assure you, is very much alive. They are both currently where those explosions are coming from." He looked towards them and blinked. "They've stopped!" He frowned as he noticed a change in the sky over that area. It was steadily growing darker and it looked like the wind over there was picking up.

The Saiyans followed his gaze and they quickly exchanged glances. It hadn't been long since Seripa had left them so they doubted that she had made it there, yet. But something was definitely happening over there.

"Oh! What about Lady Aurah?" Falmer turned to them suddenly, drawing their attention away from the abnormality. He had apparently quickly forgotten about it.

"Don't know," Broco shook his head. "We were on our way to find her when we spotted the ship. We knew it wasn't a Ginyu Force ship, but we had no idea who it could have belonged to. I haven't seen any models that old in a while. I figured it had to belong to a private collector." He smiled slightly and shrugged.

Falmer laughed and nodded. "Yes, yes. I love my old ship. She hasn't let me down, yet, so I keep fixing her up. One day she'll die on me, but it won't be any time soon!"

Broco smile and Turles huffed in annoyance beside him. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for Gylderians?"

Amotto grinned at him. "You're right, but you should probably stay here."

"No need." Broco grinned and pointed up into the sky just as Falmer looked up, following his senses.

As they all looked up they spotted the group of five dropping down towards them. Within seconds everyone descended to the ship and Diamond came running out to embrace Sushinae.

"This is my wife, Diamond." Falmer explained as he, too, embraced the girl, his sister.

The Saiyans nodded and they glanced at Aurah as Falmer and Diamond broke from Sushinae and turned to bow to her.

Aurah stood before them with her head held high and her eyes burning. She grinned at them and pointed directly above them. "I think we should save the party until Zether gets here."

Falmer started and immediately looked into the sky. His eyes widened when he felt the familiar power of his brother approaching. His eyes widened more when he spotted a flash and small dot appeared, growing larger and larger as the vessel plummeted through the atmosphere.

"Geeze, he took one of those cruise rockets to get here so fast!" Falmer exclaimed as his eyes followed the descent of the vessel. As it drew closer it became apparent that it was, indeed, a rocket and it was plummeting nose-first at full speed. All eyes were on it as it slammed into the ground several hundred yards from them, causing an explosion of dirt and debris to rain down upon them.

The dust hadn't even settled yet when they heard a tell-tale sonic boom and a golden man suddenly came skidding to a stop in their midst. He was a tall man, standing easily taller than his brother. His eyes were glistening golden, as well as his short hair. He had a neat goatee that was obviously well-maintained. He was wearing armor similar to Falmer's, but it was glistening gold instead of silver. Draped about his shoulders was a crimson cape with the Glyderian stylized 'G' emblazoned across it. And he exuded arrogance. Hell he was smirking when he landed.

"Ah, Lady Aurah! You are well, I see!" The man, obviously Zether, beamed at her. Before she could respond he turned his back to her and gathered Sushinae up into a hug. He crushed her into his fancy armor, nearly smothering her. "I am so happy to see you alive and well, Sis!" He set her down and she staggered, sucking air into her nearly-collapsed lungs. Zether's hugs always left a lasting impression.

"It's good to see you!" she said breathlessly as she replaced her glasses, smiling at him fondly. She loved her brother. He was a good man with a big heart, but damn it he was arrogant. And cocky. He was the strongest Gylderian alive and he constantly boasted about it. Only Tettuce had ever beaten him in a fight, but that was hardly fair. Everyone knew how strong Tettuce was (save for those few that were currently finding out) and everyone had known Zether wouldn't beat him. But Zether had given it his all and the fight had nearly ended as a draw. But that had been because Zether had been clever and caught Tettuce with a very powerful attack (his most powerful in fact) and it had hurt him a lot more than even Zether had anticipated.

Aurah shook her head as she walked up to stand beside Sushinae. She smiled up at the tall, young man. "It is good to see you, General Zether." She looked slyly towards the still clearing dust. "The last I heard, Cruise Rockets were illegal. Just _how_ much has changed since I've been away?" She turned back to him and cast him a mock exasperated stare.

He grinned sheepishly and scratched his bearded chin. "Well, they actually _are_ still illegal. I, ah, commandeered one to get here in a reasonable amount of time. You can never have enough warriors I say, and I also could not let anyone other than I see Your Highness to safety."

Aurah shook her head again but laughed quietly. "You know very well that's a load of-" she caught herself and chuckled as she regarded the grinning General. "You were honest so I'll pardon you, Zether."

He winked and saluted. "Always a pleasure Your Highness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must make my presence known!" And without another word, he shot into the air. Once he was clear of them, a golden aura burst to life around him and he shot away just as fast as he'd arrived.

"That man is always full of energy," Aurah said with a shake of her head as she stared after him, a smile gracing her silver lips.

"Especially since he got back from his Writ of Passage," said Falmer with a grimace. "He wants me to do it, too. I told him no."

Sushinae and Aurah laughed at the same time. Their combined voices were not at all unpleasant to listen to, the Saiyans noticed in surprise. It was almost like listening to music. Amotto smiled at the thought and glanced at Broco beside her. He smiled back at her, while Turles sighed wearily and sank to the ground. They immediately turned to him in concern.

He was still pouring sweat and his breathing had been growing heavier. His legs trembled on the ground before him and he looked up at them. "It's hard to breathe. I'm just going to rest here…"

Falmer turned to peer at the Saiyan in concern. "What's wrong?"

Amotto glanced back at him. "A guy named Coma-something, a Flazerian, shot a hole through his stomach. He cauterized the wound, but we think it's worse than he thought."

Turles scowled and closed his eyes. "It didn't seem this bad at first. Broco's right, though. It must've grazed my lung or something. It wasn't so bad at first, but the flying must've made it worse or something." He slumped forward wearily shaking his head back and forth to try and clear his fuzzy mind.

"Everyone's here," said Diamond suddenly. "And Tettuce said to take everyone up to his ship when they arrived. Let's take him to a rejuvenation tank."

Everyone murmured their agreement and Blythe stepped forward to assist Turles just as Broco knelt to lift him up. He blinked in surprise at the Glyderian man who smiled in response. He smiled, too, and the two of them picked the young Saiyan up and hovered up to the hatch of the awaiting black ship. The others followed behind them. But Sushinae and Aurah hung back, both staring towards the strange sight in the distance.

"You're worried about Lord Tettuce, Your Highness," said the blonde-haired woman quietly.

Aurah smiled slightly and nodded as she looked at the young woman. "As you are worried about your brother." She took the woman's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "We have to have faith. Besides," she grinned suddenly, flashing her short fangs. "Tettuce will mop the floor with everyone there!" Sushinae laughed with her and the two of them levitated up to the hatch finally.

With the hatch closed securely behind them and everyone seated safely, the black ship came to life. The dust beneath it was being blown up from the energy of the engines. It rose into the air and then rapidly shot into the sky.

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

Recoome and Burter were standing at the end of an alleyway into which they had herded dozens of Jynn-jin citizens. Even a few Flazerians were cowering in fear before the two members.

"That was very easy, Burter. We didn't even get to fight anyone," said Recoome in disappointment as he put his fists to his hips.

Burter grinned. "We _are_ members of the Ginyu Force. They've obviously heard tales of how fearsome and powerful we are."

"True. I didn't think of that." The red-haired man grinned. "So whatcha wanna do with them?"

"Don't know. The Major said to herd them into one area, but he didn't say what to do after that. I guess we could keep them here or kill them. What do you think?"

"I dunno." Recomme shrugged his massive shoulders and frowned. He suddenly perked up and turned to his blue-skinned partner. "I got an idea! Why don't we ask them?" He jerked a thumb towards the cowering group.

Burter looked the people and narrowed his red eyes as he smiled. "Okay!" He jumped forward and floated over to the group, touching down lightly just a few feet from them. "Now that we've all gathered you here, we're not sure what to do with you! So we're gonna be generous and give you the option of choosing what to do next!"

A Jynn-jin male cowering near the back stuck his head up and said, "Personally, I don't care what you do. Just _please_ don't do anymore of those dances!" There was a widespread murmur of agreement around him.

Recoome touched down beside Burter and he cocked his head slightly. "Dances? You don't like our poses?" He pretended to pout and turned to Burter. "You hear that? They don't want us to dance!" He winked up at the taller alien who beamed down at him with pure malicious delight.

"That gives me an idea, then!" Burter immediately began to run in place, his arms spread out from his body.

Recoome grinned and dropped down, prepared to perform his own routine, when a small black blur shot close over his head and landed behind him. Blinking in surprise, he and Burter turned to see a tiny Saiyan female with violet eyes smirking at them. They exchanged glances then looked back at her. "Uh, who you supposed to be?" Recoome finally asked in bewilderment.

The woman's lips split into a fierce grin and she jerked a thumb at her chest. "I'm Seripa. And you are dead."

"Seripa! That's the female that Lord Frieza wants!" Burter looked down at Recoome who nodded agreement.

"Sure is. Let's get her." He nodded his head at the small woman and it was Burter's turn to nod agreement.

"You are mighty confident that you can take me. What's going to happen if you find that you can't?" she said to them sweetly.

Recoome grinned and dropped into a stance. "Missy, you don't stand a chance. We're the Ginyu Force!"

"I know who you are. I'm not stupid and I'm also not scared of you." She was still smiling at them. In fact she was giving off no signs that she was in any way afraid. In fact, she was more confident than they felt comfortable with. Sure she was just a Saiyan female, but they had been in this business far too long to take some warriors lightly. But even still, the two of them could take her simply.

"Then we'll have to change that!" said Recoome as he lunged at her. The cowering people behind them were completely forgotten.

Seripa grinned and lunged forward to meet him head-on. Her fist slammed into his cheek, but he kept plowing forward and slammed his shoulder firmly against her chest, sending her sailing backwards out of the alleyway and into the flaming building across the street.

Recoome skid to a stop in the middle of the street and he stared disappointedly at the quivering, burning building. "Phooey. That was a bummer."

Burter stepped up beside him and folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, I didn't even get to fight." He gazed remorsefully at the flames devouring the building. He suddenly shrugged and turned back to the group at the back of the alleyway. "Oh well. We still have them!"

"True!" Recoome said enthusiastically as he turned back to face the fearful group.

"Not so fast!" The two warriors blinked and turned to see a soot-covered Seripa standing behind them with her hands on her hips. She was still grinning but now she was glaring at them, too. "Sorry about that. I'm still not quite used to my strength, so I used a lot less than I thought I was using." She laughed. "It felt like a lot at the time, but apparently there's still more strength in this body than I'm aware of!"

Burter looked at Recoome who met his gaze. "This woman is crazy."

"But she doesn't have a scratch on her," Recoome pointed out. He pointed at her and his blue-skinned comrade looked at her.

"Holy flagnar, you're right!" Burter grinned. "So she can take some punishment! We might both get to fight after all!"

"Oh you'll both get to fight alright. You'll both be fighting for your lives very shortly!" She jabbed her finger towards them fiercely and grinned just as fiercely.

Recoome grinned goofily. "I'm going first…"

"Oh no, I don't think so." Burter rounded on the red-haired warrior and glared down at him. "You already fought her."

"That didn't count as a fight!" Recoome protested. "I only hit her once." He nodded his head and folded his arms across his chest.

Burter frowned and mirrored his friend. "Hmm…Well then, I guess there's only one way to decide this." He narrowed his red eyes and stepped back.

Recoome blinked at Burter, but he caught on quick. He narrowed his eyes and grinned again. "Yeah, good idea..."

"On the count of three?"

"Yeah!" Recoome dropped down into an odd stance. One leg was stretched forward and his upper torso was twisted around so that he had both hands concealed. He was still grinning like an idiot.

Seripa quirked a brow and lowered her arm as she stared on. Just what were these two doing? Were they about to have a showdown just to decide who would fight her first? This was ridiculous! She rolled her eyes and shook her head. This was no way for such "elite" fighters to decide things amongst themselves. She started in surprise when she heard Burter cry "Three!" and she focused on the fight—

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!"

That turned out to be no fight at all.

Seripa could only stare on in utter disbelief as the two grown men kept throwing their fists at one another, over and over again while their hands shifted simultaneously between being open-palmed, tightly balled fists, or just two fingers making a cutting motion. She wondered how long this…madness could continue. She was tempted to just blast them both as hard as she could just to end it. She began to gather her ki just as Recoome cried out in triumph.

"Thank Kami," she breathed.

"Ah-ha! Yes, rock smashes scissors." Recoome gloated while Burter huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever. Just get it over with." He sat down with a heavy sigh. "I won't get to fight so just end it."

Recoome laughed and turned to face Seripa. "I'll try to save you some leftovers, eh?"

"Just get on with it!" This time it was Seripa who spoke. "Just stop talking and fight me!" She was getting tired of hearing their stupid yapping.

Recoome narrowed his eyes and grinned. "Oho, you will get your fight. I promise you that." He lunged forward, blurring out of sight almost immediately.

Seripa had just enough time to block the first blow. The second one she was more prepared for. The third one she caught and countered, delivering a powerful blow to the giant's exposed jaw, sending him backwards. He flipped around in mid air and peered at her curiously.

"Whoa, Burter. She packs quite a punch! She might actually prove to be a lot of fun!" He swooped back in without waiting for a response and swung his massive gloved fist towards her tiny, by comparison, head.

Seripa ducked just in time and jumped back as he swung his other fist around. She shot backwards down the street just barely dancing out of reach of his surprisingly rapid punches. She was almost afraid to actually let him hit her. Just as the thought crossed her mind, he closed the distance between then with a sudden burst of speed and she cried out as he slammed his forehead against hers with enough force to send her immediately crashing down to the street, the concrete collapsing in a vague silhouette of her body.

She grimaced and groaned as she sat up. She looked up in surprise as Recoome grabbed a hold of her battle-jacket and lifted her out of the hole. He lifted his other fist and slammed it into her stomach. The hit sent her flying from his grasp and she landed in the middle of the street, skidding to a stop just before she would have fallen into an uncovered manhole. She immediately flipped to her feet and she glared down the street at Recoome as he advanced toward her.

"I guess I'm just going to have to get serious then!" she cried out. She was honestly bluffing, but then again she really was not sure how strong she had become. Fighting the Flazerian had been easy, but Recoome hit back and he hit back hard, she thought as she rubbed her stomach with a wince. Nevertheless she quickly spread her stance and began to summon on her new strength. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to do anything at all. For all she knew she was already powered up to her max.

She knew she wasn't the instant she felt the wind around her body shift. It began to spiral around her at the same time flashes of red began to appear. She grit her teeth, grunting with the effort as her muscles constricted and bulged and burned. They ached from the onslaught of taking on the new strength, but they weren't as bad as she had anticipated.

Until with an explosion of power and red, she was suddenly engulfed in a swirling vortex that was her red aura. She threw her head back and screamed out as she lost herself in the waves of power that were crashing over her. Was this what Tettuce felt like all the time? As the power and ki flowed through her body and rose through the roof she imagined herself an all-powerful goddess. She couldn't believe what she was feeling! The ground was shaking beneath her feet and the sky was darkening as her power was rising. A building near to her suddenly came crashing down and she allowed herself a grin as she stared up at the sky through the swirling red haze that surrounded her. She was on her way!

Burter and Recoome, meanwhile, were staring in shock and horror, respectively. Their scouters were reacting wildly to her light-show and were showing her power reading to be higher than either of theirs. Burter was much faster than Recoome, but the red-haired warrior's power reading was 55,000, while Burter's was just under his. But this Saiyan woman's power had shot past theirs and was still rocketing up.

"60,000! This is impossible! She's just a Saiyan!" exclaimed Recoome as he continuously tapped buttons on his scouter. "This thing can't possibly be right!"

"63,000!" Burter groaned and turned to his comrade. "What do we do?"

"It's gotta be a malfunction!" Recoome glared at Seripa and ripped his scouter off. He crushed it as he watched the crimson aura burn around her body. "There's no way this woman could challenge us." He grinned again and took a deep breath. He had almost lost his cool.

Burter looked back at Seripa and kept his eye on the numbers his scouter was showing him. "65,000…65,500…66…67…67,500…67,500!" He glanced at Recoome as the aura vanished with a loud cracking noise and the shaking subsided.

Seripa took a deep breath as she stood up straight. Her entire body was tingling with electricity. Everything was clearer, sharper, brighter, lighter, cooler, softer, warmer; all of these things and more at the same time. She smiled slightly as she stared at the two warriors. They were bickering back and forth but she could've cared less what they were saying. All she cared about was the raw power that was at her fingertips. She narrowed her eyes and grinned as Recoome suddenly threw himself at her.

He closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, but Burter never saw him go flying when Seripa batted him out of the air. He blinked as the two of them vanished and he began to look all around. A flash of light out of the corner of his eye set him to spinning, but he saw nothing. He heard a boom and he turned again, but still saw nothing. He was just beginning to get nervous when he heard a gurgling cry and then another boom. He looked up just in time to see Recoome drop to the street in a bloody heap.

Burter barely recognized his comrade as he stared down at him in horror. Hardly anything remained of his battle-jacket and blood was oozing out of wounds that covered his body. One of his arm bones was jutting out of the skin and blood was pouring to the cracked concrete beneath his broken body. The tapping of boots touching the pavement caught his attention and he looked up to see a smiling Seripa.

"Hi there. Still want to fight me?"

Burter's eyes widened and he turned and sprinted away. About a hundred feet away he must've remembered he could fly because he took to the air and blasted away in an explosion of blue. Seripa grinned and blasted off after him, leaving a trail of violet in her wake.

_**DBZ

* * *

**_

"Junior!" Ginyu bellowed, taking a brief pause in his power up. "Stop playing around and measure my damn power! I'm almost completely powered up!"

Junior paused in mid-punch, leaving an opening that Bardock exploited by driving his knee into the young Ginyu's stomach, doubling him over. He immediately sprang back and glanced up at his mentor, who was still staring at Ginyu but his impatience was growing. He glanced down at Bardock with a stern glance and he frowned back in response. Tettuce suddenly grinned and glanced back up at Ginyu as Junior, grumbling, hovered up and tapped the side of his scouter.

"You're over 70,000 now, Father."

"Good! Now call it out as it grows!" Ginyu laughed and his purple aura burst to life around his body once more as he resumed his power up.

Tettuce unfolded his arms and let them drop to his sides. He smiled maliciously. He had not fought anyone with such a high power in a long time. Not since he had last fought (was massacred by) Ginyu. He lifted a hand to touch the scar on his forehead and his eyes narrowed. Today he would beat Ginyu. He could feel it. Ginyu's power was steadily growing and Junior continued to call it out, but Tettuce didn't need him to. He could sense the Major's growing power much more accurately than the scouter. It was a high power level, but Tettuce could feel the power up slowing and it was still not as high as his.

Junior stared in awe as the numbers began to slow on the tiny screen of the scouter. He blinked his red eyes a few times. His dad was easily one of the most powerful people in the universe. 90,000 right now. There was no way that Tettuce could stand a chance.

Ginyu's aura suddenly exploded out from his body and vanished as his power up suddenly ceased. He looked down at his son with a grin. "Alright, what is it?" he asked smugly.

"100,000, Father!" Junior responded with a glance towards Tettuce.

Ginyu smirked. "What a reading. Tettuce, do you still want to fight me?"

Tettuce grinned and clenched his fists tight at his sides. "You bet I do…I suppose it's my turn to cut loose!"

Bardock remembered what Tettuce had said and quickly hovered backwards, putting plenty of space between him and the older Saiyan.

Out of nowhere a blue blur came to an abrupt stop in front of Ginyu. He blinked at Burter in surprised confusion, as did everyone else.

"Burter, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded. He glanced around. "Where is Recoome?"

Burter hovered back, trembling. His hands were on his knees as he sucked in gulp after gulp of air. He had flown as fast as he could to get away from the horrible female. "He's….He's dead, I think…I dunno…" He glanced fearfully over his shoulder. "She beat him so bad, Major!" He turned back to his leader, who suddenly slapped him.

As the blue alien recoiled, Ginyu clenched his fist tight. "I am in the middle of a fight with General Tettuce and you interrupt it with this…this news? Who is 'she?'" he suddenly demanded.

"Me!" came a cry from above as a violet-shrouded Seripa appeared. The aura vanished and she dropped down to Tettuce. She smirked at him as she folded her arms across her chest. "It's been quite a while."

Tettuce returned the smirk and glanced at Ginyu and Burter, who was busy telling Ginyu the full story. Looking back at her he responded, "Yes, it has. It is good to see you safe. And," he added with a chuckle, "to see that you have grown much stronger in the last year. I gotta say, I'm impressed."

Bardock was close enough to Burter to hear what Seripa had done to Recoome. He couldn't help but look on in fond pride as he stared up at his mate. She hadn't seen him, and even if she had she wouldn't have recognized him. He smiled slightly and slowly ascended towards her.

Tettuce spotted Bardock inbound from the corner of his eyes. "I think your Captain would be very proud of you right now."

Seripa blinked but smiled slightly. "I hope he is. I've done my best to make him proud."

Bardock couldn't stop himself. As he came up behind Seripa, he smoothly wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, which immediately tensed. He pressed his lips to her ear and, with a smirk, said, "Woman, you should know you've always made me proud."

Seripa's eyes widened as the familiar voice touched her senses and blocked out everything else around her. She forgot about everything else, about the destruction of her race, the last year, the meeting with Frieza; she simply forgot it all as she gently broke away to turn around to see if her ears had deceived her. Her eyes threatened to deceive her as she took in Bardock's new shaggy-haired appearance. Silently she reached up to catch a lock of it from his shoulders into her small hands. She stared at it for a second or two, but dropped it to look up at the scar on his cheek. As she touched it her violet eyes met his onyx eyes.

"Bardock…" she whispered as she reached out to him. "It is you!" She wrapped her arms as far around him as she could, burying her face into his chest. She clung to him tighter when she felt him embrace her.

"Of course it is," he said with a chuckle. He kissed her forehead, which surprised her because normally he wouldn't have done it. Too many things had changed for him to remain the same, and to be honest he never wanted to let go of her again. "I thought I lost you…" His voice broke as he whispered the words into her hair. "I saw Toma…he died in my arms. I saw your body…their bodies…I thought…" he trailed off, unable to say more. He never had been very good with words.

Seripa laughed into his chest. "I saw you die, Bardock. This has to be a dream, because I was there when you died. I saw the blast that killed you."

Bardock gave her a gentle shake. "It doesn't matter now, anyway. We've got some fighting to do and Tettuce still has to power up. We'll catch up more later. Besides, I have something to tell you later." He grinned and pulled her with him as he hovered back away from Tettuce, who immediately took a stance.

She returned the grin. "So do I." But they said nothing more as they both turned their attention to Tettuce. This was the first time either of them had seen the warrior unleash his maximum power. From the way everyone they knew talked, though, it was supposed to be hellish.

Tettuce's power up was different from Ginyu's. Whereas the Major's had been slow, Tettuce started out quick. His red aura sprang to life instantly and rage around his body as his power sky-rocketed. It had been such a long time since he'd unleashed his power. He was often reluctant to do so because of how easily it was to lose control of his temper when he was at this level of strength. But today he wanted that monster that lived in his soul. He _needed _it now more than ever, because he intended to make everyone on this planet pay for the last year of his life that had been wasted. Not just for himself, but for Aurah and the other Gylderians, and for the four Saiyans. And to reach that end he had to kill Ginyu first. The sky above him darkened and the buildings below them crumbled. A violent wind sprang up and tore at everyone watching the bizarre spectacle. Even the ones who could not sense his power or did not have a scouter could feel the massiveness of his ki.

Tettuce knew that today would change the views of certain people about him but it didn't bother him in the slightest. In fact it fueled his eagerness, making his power rise higher and faster, much to the dismay of Junior who was staring incredulously at the numbers rolling on the little screen. He could not honestly believe that a Saiyan currently had a power level over 100,000, or that it was steadily growing. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before swallowing and glancing at his dad. He winced when he saw the look of shock on his face. He couldn't blame him, really. The only other person that was supposed to be stronger that his dad was Frieza, maybe even Lord Ryo, but never a Saiyan!

Junior groaned as the numbers rolled past 110,000 without so much as slowing down. His father suddenly looked over at him questioningly and he winced. He hadn't been calling out Tettuce's power so his father didn't yet know what he was up against. He had to hope only that his father didn't ask hi-

"Junior! What's the scouter say?" his father suddenly demanded.

The younger Ginyu sighed in resignation. "F-father…120,000…and s-still growing…"

Ginyu smiled slightly. "20,000, eh? And he's putting on one hell of a light-show!"

"No, Father! I said 120,000! Now it's 130,000!" Junior cried just as there was a flash from Tettuce's direction that drew both of their gazes back to the Saiyan in question. What they saw they would never forget.

Tettuce was hunched over in his power-up and his muscles bulged and constricted, tightening and condensing as his strength sky-rocketed, his aura raging all around his floating body. His teeth ground together as his hair stood straight up from the force of his energy. The red aura that had consumed him from the beginning was beginning to have random streaks of gold through it, all around his body, from head to toe. The entire city seemed to be crashing down all around below them. The power that Tettuce was generating seemed to be—no, _was _shaking the entire planet.

But the worst part of the whole sight was Tettuce's eyes. His eyes seemed to have been swallowed up by a mixture of white and red. His dark eyes were no longer visible, and the more his power increased, the more his aura surged around him, and the more the Ginyu's gaped, the wider he grinned. And it was no normal grin. Tettuce seemed to have become a whole other person, as the feral grin covered his scarred face. It was like something they would have seen on a rabid beast shortly before he attacked.

The elder Ginyu glared at his son. "What is it now?"

"150,000! Still growing!" Junior all-but moaned as his knees trembled.

Ginyu gaped. "What? But…but that's impossible! There's no way that a damn monkey has surpassed _me_ in strength!" Ginyu declared as he set his sights on the still-powering up Tettuce. "You are NOT stronger than me!"

Tettuce merely continued to grin at the two purple warriors.

Ginyu's eyes widened, the veins in his eyes swelling and burst leaving tiny red star-bursts all over the whites of his eyes. One of his fangs cracked and chipped as he ground his teeth together. He never even noticed as his own aura suddenly enveloped his body and he tried desperately to force more strength out off his body. The aura raged and raged, whipping madly about his body as he bellowed at the sky above…but to no avail. He couldn't feel his strength climbing anymore, not even minutely. But all the while, as he watched he could see Tettuce's body seeming to radiate with power and he vaguely heard Junior announced that Tettuce had passed 155,000.

But when he heard 160,000, Ginyu lost it. Before the words had completely left Junior's lips, Ginyu grasped both horns on the top of his head and let loose a magnificent howl of frustrated rage. With his aura still raging he suddenly shot straight up into the sky, vanishing from sight within seconds.

Bardock and Seripa stared after Ginyu, but they quickly turned their gazes back to Tettuce, who was powering up. His body had begun to hiss and steam as the moisture in the air instantly heated and evaporated as his power continued to surge. As they watched they noticed that he was beginning to pant a bit, so they both assumed he was nearing his peak. Bardock could sense it well enough to know that for all his own recent improvement in strength, it was still _nothing_ next to his mentor's. But it only made him grin. It was just something else to strive for.

Tettuce suddenly began to cackle maniacally. Seconds later his power topped out with a shock-wave that shot out in all directions from his body. As he hovered there still cackling, his aura burned around his body in a mixture of red and gold flames. They pulsed and shifted, crackling around his body as his senseless laughing ceased. He looked up into the sky and everyone followed his gaze to see Ginyu dropping back down from the clouds, his purple aura still raging around his body. He continued his descent until he was hovering directly in front of the savage Saiyan.

Ginyu glared at Tettuce, but his face was otherwise devoid of expression. He continued to stare at him for a few more moments, but turned his gaze to his son. "What is his power level, Junior?" Even his voice was expressionless.

Junior turned his scouter off and looked apologetically at his father. "165,000. I don't think the scouter is malfunctioning…" he trailed off, wincing as he expected his father to berate him.

Instead Ginyu said, "Of course the scouter isn't malfunctioning…That really _is _Tettuce's power." His hairless brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure how he was going to beat this Saiyan, but he had to think of something. He _would _think of something. He had no choice, because losing was NOT an option. He was MAJOR Ginyu of _the _Ginyu Force. And besides, he did have one trump card left up his sleeve…

Junior stared up at his father in surprise. He had expected him to fly off the handle again. He looked up at the sky curiously. He wondered what had happened up there to cool his father off? He glanced beside him at Burter who was stunned into literal silence as he stared between the two warriors.

Ginyu stared at Tettuce and Tettuce stared at Ginyu. The purple warrior hadn't done anything while he had been flying around in a rage. He had merely blasted off to blow off his frustration and clear his head. Sure he was at a serious disadvantage in power, but if he kept a clear head he would have a better chance at fighting the overpowered Saiyan. He took a deep breath and slipped into a stance, his aura suddenly vanishing with a crack. He just glared across the sky at Tettuce.

Tettuce smirked at the purple warrior and dropped into his own stance, silently. His red and gold aura was still raging around his tense form. The feral grin from before reappeared and his blank eyes narrowed.

Bardock narrowed his own eyes as he watched his mentor in silence. He had never seen the man look so…depraved, before. Tettuce's body was there, but it seemed as if the man that had all but raised him had left it to some rabid beast. He glanced sideways at Seripa who met his gaze. They held each other's gaze for a few moments longer, before they both looked back at Tettuce and Ginyu.

_**DBZ**_

_(Individual Lies here! I just wanted to say thanks again to all you wonderful readers and seeing how many hits this story has gotten...it just takes my breath away. lol Anyway, I hope ya'll liked this chapter and that ya'll continue to stick around for the next! Keep your eyes peeled, 'cause I've already started on it so Chapter Thirteen will be up soon. Thanks again everyone!)_


	13. Smack Down

_(Individual Lies here! Hey guys, I'm really sorry it's been so long since I've posted a chapter. Life can get hectic and frustrating and that's how's it been. Not to mention I no longer have a working computer, but I will overcome that no matter what. This story will be completed, but don't worry! There's still much more to come and hopefully sooner than it took to get this one posted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter and as always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated!)_

_(P.S. To the nameless reviewer: Please read Chapter Nine: I'm Alive and Chapter Ten: Time to Burn.)_

_**Chapter Thirteen-Smack Down**_

"_Get ready for the smack down!  
Get ready for the smack down!  
How ya gonna react  
When ya put on ya back now?  
'Cause there's no turnin' back  
When you're facin' the smack down  
Come on, let's kick it, let's all get wicked  
Put your hands in the sky for a one-way ticket  
C'mon!"_

_**Smack Down –Thousand Foot Krutch **_

_**DBZ**_

Berik's fingers flew across a keyboard mounted on a lone podium before a massive screen. It was to the screen that he looked every few seconds as windows flashed red and yellow across the massive expanse. He growled and shoved his glasses back up his nose and made to continue, when the screen went suddenly blank.

He frowned as a single window popped up. It was a video, it seemed. He blinked and leaned closer.

"It's the Transport Chamber, Uncle!" Berik turned to see Nepu come striding through the open door clutching a portable keyboard. "Sorry!" he quickly apologized. "I was remote-hacking your computer on my way here. I just heard something and I wanted to verify that it was true before I told you."

"Told me what?" Berik was mildly stunned from the sudden intrusion.

"Look at the screen!" Nepu dropped the keyboard on the podium and pointed to a large cylinder at the back of the room that the video was showing.

Berik frowned again but looked to the screen. Just as he did, there was a bright flash of light from a small square window on the cylinder. The front split open into a door and a larger than normal Flazerian stepped out menacingly. He didn't look much different than Flazamyn, except that his eyes were split into two colors: silver on top and red on bottom.

Berik clutched at the podium for support. "Ryo!" he hissed in fear as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. "This day just gets better and better!"

Nepu glanced at his uncle and arched an eyebrow. "Hey, that's my line!"

"Shut up! Shit, this isn't good! Not even Tettuce can fight him!"

"What makes you so certain?" Nepu turned to face Berik fully.

His uncle growled and turned a stern eye his way. "Do you know what Ryo's last recorded power reading was?"

"Um, no?" answered Nepu honestly.

Berik cursed. "You idiot! His last recorded power reading was two years ago, and it was listed as over 250,000! That's over a _quarter of a million!" _

Nepu's eyes shot open wide and he gripped his uncle's arm, his body trembling in sudden fear. "We can't fight him!" He glanced at the screen. "Where'd he go?"

His uncle started and immediately glanced to the screen. Seeing that Ryo was no longer in the Transport Chamber he started cycling through the cameras. "He's got to be here somewhere…"

Nepu gulped as he stared unblinking at the screen. Moisture had gathered on his brow and his cheeks and he was breathing heavily. Ryo was there on Jynn-jin 13. Whatever brought him there was a mystery to him, though. Jynn-jin 13 was not a planet that Ryo visited often, if ever. But he was definitely there now.

"There he is.!" Berik pointed at the screen. Ryo was walking down a hallway, heading towards the camera. "Where is that hallway, Nepu? Do you recognize it?"

Nepu frowned. "I'm not sure. It looks familiar…In fact…"

"Oh, no…That's…" Berik's eyes widened when Ryo cast a sudden glance towards the camera as he paused before a door. With his eyes still locked on the camera he pressed his massive hand against a silver plate beside the door. Berik and Nepu both spun as the door slid open with a hiss behind them.

Ryo ducked his head and strode menacingly into the room. His odd-colored eyes were locked on the both of them as he bore down on them. As he reached the podium he suddenly lifted up one massive hand and Berik flinched, instinctively knowing that he was about to be killed. But instead of him, Ryo suddenly grabbed Nepu by his neck and lifted him forcefully from the floor.

Nepu's eyes were nearly bulging from their sockets as he grasped at the too-powerful hand firmly wrapped around his neck. He gasped and struggled to suck air into his desperate lungs. They weren't burning for air yet, but he knew it wouldn't be too much longer.

"L-Lord Ryo! W-what are you doing with Prince Nepu?" Berik ventured to ask of the massive Flazerian.

Ryo turned to glare at the shorter Jynn-jin. "My personal Intelligence Team informed me that Nepu contacted someone off-world. They intercepted the transmission because it pertained to the fugitive known as Tettuce." His eyes narrowed and he looked back to the struggling Jynn-jin prince in his grasp. "Something like that, dealing with someone of that caliber, I had to personally come here and punish you."

"P-punish? How are you going to punish Nepu?"

Ryo grinned, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Like this." He thrust his arm out, sending Nepu flying back and through the far wall and fired a small ball of green ki after the helpless man.

Berik watched in horror as the blast connected with Nepu's exposed chest and exploded, immediately obliterating every last trace of him. He clutched at the podium for support as his knees began to shake. The light hadn't even faded yet as he looked to Ryo to see the giant Flazerian turning his gaze on him.

"And as for you…" He reached out a massive clawed hand.

Berik gulped and tried to will himself to run away, but his legs would not move. He stared in wide-eyed, silent horror as his end drew nearer.

_**DBZ**_

Tettuce ducked under Ginyu's punch, then danced to the left to avoid another, phasing to the right to avoid a third. He was making child's play of Ginyu's best attacks, all the while a loony grin plastered on his face. His eyes seemed to glint with a maniacal gleam as he kept just out of reach of the Ginyu Force leader's kicks and punches.

"Come on, Ginyu! Is that your best?" the Saiyan taunted.

Ginyu grit his teeth and his purple aura burst to life, his speed suddenly increasing a bit. He moved in under Tettuce's guard, his fist flying towards the man's exposed jaw. About to make contact, he felt a powerful blow to his nose and he was rocketing backwards against his will. He slammed back-first into the concrete road and continued skidding backwards. Letting out a curse he slammed his elbows into the road and he was instantly flying up to where Tettuce awaited him. "I won't go down that easily to a Saiyan!"

"I would hope not!"

Bardock shook his head slowly and glanced at Seripa as Tettuce and Ginyu immediately dove back into battle.

"He could end it in one go, but he's just toying with Ginyu," said Seripa with a frown. "Doesn't he want to kill Ginyu for the things he's done to him?"

"Oh yeah, and he will," said Bardock with a smirk. "He wants to have fun, first. Ginyu and Recoome did the same thing with him. He's just payin' Ginyu back for the humiliation he was caused."  
"Ah, I see. That's right, Ginyu gave him the scar on his forehead."

"Yep. It was supposed to be a killin' blow, too. Tettuce has an ability where he can briefly create a near-impenetrable ki-barrier. If he had not been at a good range to glimpse the attack before it reached him, he could very well be dead today."

"I never knew that…"

"Few people do. I only know because I was there. I was bein' restrained by the other members of our team. I wanted to help, eh…" He sighed and shrugged. "In hindsight, I would've gotten massacred. But I was young and I was dumb." He laughed quietly and glanced up as Ginyu finally got a blow in on Tettuce that sent him plummeting down into the city. He watched the purple alien dive down after him and then turned to continue talking to Seripa. "A lot's changed since then. Hell, a lot's changed since I last seen you." He gave her a slight smile.

Seripa smiled up at him. "Yes, a lot has changed. Especially about you. What's up with the hair?" she asked with a frown as she reached up to take a thick lock into her small hand. "Our hair doesn't grow."

"I've seen someone's hair grow back thicker after it was burned away by a blast. But not this thick." He lifted his hand and it practically swallowed Seripa's as he took a hold of her hand. "It might have something to do with how I was brought back to life."

Seripa blinked and her frown became one of confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"I died—"

"I know that!"

"Fine. I was brought back by something called the Pool of Life. It's on planet Kanassa, and supposedly I was able to alter my destiny somehow." Bardock frowned again and he glanced down for a few moments. He looked back up. "I don't know much more than that, though. I can tell you, though, that I can see into the future, but I can't control the visions. They come and go, but I will learn to control them. Once I do, then…what?" He blinked down at Seripa as she gaped up at him in surprise.

"I've seen and heard some weird things, Bardock, but that's pushing it. You can see the future?" Seripa asked warily.

Bardock grinned and squeezed her hand gently. "I'm not crazy. I thought I was for a while, but I'm not. I can see into the future, but like I said I can't control it. That Kanassan that attacked me there in the end gave me the ability. It started out as a curse…" he looked away and his smile faded. "I tried to save our people, but I failed. Frieza was just too strong. Seein' the end of our race, but bein' powerless to stop it…It hurt, Seripa…" His voice caught in his throat and he closed his eyes. He never dropped his guard for anyone, but somehow Seripa was able to shatter his walls.

His eyes opened when he felt her hand touch his cheek gently and he looked down at her slowly.

"You didn't fail, Bardock. There are still some survivors and we will avenge our fallen brothers and sisters. And we will especially avenge the deaths of our comrades. Dodoria can't possibly stand against either of us now. We're too strong!" She smiled up at him. "Also, Bardock…Guess what I found out? Kakarrot still lives! He was sent to a planet called—"

"Earth!" Bardock finished in startled surprise. "I know, I had him sent there…It was supposed to be a surprise for you. My friend, Doctor Khanabi, treated him and saved his life. I had him tell you that the whelp was too early-born to live. That he had been tossed into the incinerator."

"Yeah, I remember…" Seripa said with a slight frown. "W-why would you do that? Lie to me, like that?" she suddenly demanded, her thin brows knitting together angrily.

Bardock merely smirked. Oh, how he had missed his volatile little woman! "It was supposed to be a surprise. You knew as well as me that Kakarrot wouldn't have been allowed to live bein' premature and all. I saved his life and risked mine in the process. For you." He rested his hand on her shoulder, his smirk shifting to a smile as he looked down at her.

She smiled up at him and rested her hand on his…then gripped his thumb and yanked down on it hard enough to drop him to his knees. She planted her boot against his chest and forced him down to the ground with enough force to cause the pavement to crack under Bardock's back. "Listen here, Buster," she growled as she glared down at her mate. "I've always spoken my mind and now I have the strength to back up my words. If you ever pull a stunt like that again, then I will personally castrate you, Bardock!"

Bardock blinked up at his _extremely _volatile little woman in amazement. He had not expected that and he was only slightly surprised at the strength he felt from her. She was, without a doubt, much stronger than he was. The student had surpassed the teacher…

"That being said…" She pulled her boot away and bent down to grab his armor. She jerked him to his feet and then yanked his head down to plant her lips firmly against his.

Bardock blinked again, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her and gave himself over to the kiss. They both deserved to let themselves go. After all, they had not seen one another in over a year!

They were both lost in the kiss; neither one saw the ki blast rocketing their way. Bardock lifted his head as he saw a flash and then the blast was flying away into the distance. He glanced down and Seripa was gone, having moved to knock the blast away.

She was furious, too. She glared up at the younger Ginyu as he and Burter hovered over the two Saiyans. "What's the big idea? You _want _us to kick your ass?"

Junior scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. "As if you, a Saiyan _female_, could possibly kick my ass. I am impressed that you knocked my attack away, but that was an attention-getter. You won't be able to deflect my next one."

"Wanna bet?" Seripa grinned suddenly as she stepped in a stance. "I've already clobbered the big, ugly one. I can take you, too."

Bardock glanced at Seripa as Junior started to laugh quietly. "He's tough, Seripa. I know you're stronger than me, but I think he might be a bit much for you to handle alone."

She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "I can handle myself."

He grinned in response. "I know you can. I'm just sayin', watch your back."

"Oh." She smiled and turned back to Junior. "I will."

Junior ceased his slow chuckle and glanced at Burter. "You take the shaggy-headed monkey. This uppity female is mine."

"She's tough, Commander," said the blue alien as he glanced down at Bardock. "She's much stronger than you're thinking. She took Recoome out like it was nothing." He glanced around at Junior and flinched when he saw the glare he was giving him.

"I can handle her with ease, Burter. Do not doubt the Commander." He suddenly grinned and spread his arms out, and lifted his knee at an odd angle. He bent one arm at the elbow so that it was pointing in the same direction as the other and he turned his head in the opposite. "I am unbeatable! My Unbeatable Pose says as much!"

Burter began clapping vigorously while sweat drops appeared on Bardock and Seripa's foreheads. "What is with these clowns?" muttered Seripa. She glanced at her mate, but he shrugged.

"Beats me. They're nuts, that's all I know." Bardock looked up at Junior. "Look out, he's gettin' serious, I think."

Seripa looked up at the purple alien to see him in a fighting stance and glaring down at her. "Poor Saiyan! Today you'll become Lord Frieza's prisoner! You can't beat me!"

"We'll see abou—what?" Seripa's eyes went wide when Junior suddenly vanished. "Where'd he go?"

He reappeared a few feet in front of her and delivered a shockwave-inducing blow to her cheek that sent her rocketing backwards at a speed she never thought possible. She blew through several buildings before she finally regained her control. She hovered up and stared back at the devastation left in her wake. Several of the buildings were crumbling and collapsing as she watched.

Junior appeared in front of her and drove his fist into her gut hard enough to double her over his arm. While she struggled to suck in air while he supported her on his fist, he suddenly drove his other elbow into the center of her back, shattering her armor. He struck her again in the same fashion, but he moved his other hand and she was sent flying down to the ground. He stared down after her with a gleeful grin, confident he'd done her in.

"Meteor Shower!" Seripa cried out at the top of her lungs as she plummeted towards the ground. She fired off a pink blast that flew up at him quickly.

Junior braced to deflect the blast but was surprised when it shot by him. He looked up after it in bewilderment, then glanced down at the descending female. She slammed into the roof of a building and disappeared as it gave way beneath her. The building vanished in a massive explosion and he was suddenly being hammered from all sides by showering ki blasts. Chunks of his armor went flying as he was thrown back and forth violently by the miniature explosions. Just as he was beginning to think they'd never end, they ceased.

He took in a breath and looked down at the remains of the building below him. Two petite boots suddenly slammed against either side of his head, locking together at the ankles and ringing his ears. He lifted his hands to tear Seripa loose, but she suddenly took off flying towards the ground at top speed, dragging him with her and leaving behind a trail of violet. She twisted her body around and they began to spin in a spiral as they descended. Mere feet from the ground, Seripa let go and killed her speed, dropping back behind the still-falling Ginyu. She thrust both hands forward and fired off a massive pink ball of ki that slammed into his back just as his face met the ground. The resulting explosion sent Seripa tumbling end over end through the air.

Bardock appeared and caught her, bridal-style. "A little excessive, don't ya think?" he mock-chided her as he starred down into the dust and smoke that had been kicked up by the explosion. "He sure seemed to be at your mercy. Were you goin' all out?"

Seripa, who was breathing heavily in his arms, nodded and grinned. "When he hit me I knew that it was all or nothing against him. I had no choice but to try and end it quickly."

"So you think you got him, then?" he asked, arching an eyebrow warily. He had felt the younger Ginyu's power already, and while his ki-sensing ability was lacking, it _was_ getting better. He could tell during that exchange that Seripa was _much _stronger than he was, and that Junior was _much _stronger than either of them. Seripa might have caught him off guard or Junior might have let her hit him.

"I think I hurt him at the very least. At least, I hope so." She frowned and looked down at the ground but she could see nothing for the plumes of smoke and dust that seemed to be never-ending. "Can you see him?"

Bardock looked down at the ground and instead of searching with his eyes, immediately began to focus his senses in an attempt to search out Junior's ki signature. He frowned as he detected a faint sensation…coming up quick from behind them! He spun around, throwing Seripa away from him with everything he had, just in time for a blast to slam violently into his chest and explode, engulfing him in blue flames and dark clouds of smoke. The force of the explosion carried him backwards out of the flames and smoke, to spiral limply toward the ground.

Seripa caught herself, still breathing heavily from her heavy attack on Junior. She stared in horror as Bardock fell to the city below. "No! Bardock!" She took off after him, but she felt a hand wrap around her ankle and she was stopped in her tracks. Glancing up she found the blue alien, Burter, holding her. She frowned in irritation. "What the hell do you think _you _can do to stop me?"

"Nothing," said a deeper voice from just below her. She turned her head up to see the younger Ginyu's red eyes glaring into her violet eyes. "But I'll kill you." His elbow crashed into her temple quicker than she could follow. The blow tore her from Burter's grasp and sent her flying straight towards a building. She slammed into the side of it with enough force to leave her imbedded in the steel and concrete wall. That was about the time she felt the pain from Junior's elbow-strike and her vision began to swim. She struggled to hold her eyes open as she looked towards Junior and Burter's distant forms.

Her eyes closed and she forced them open, but this time she found herself staring up at two Juniors and two Burters. She tried to blink them away, but found she had no more control over her eyes. The two Ginyus fired a purple blast at her just as she closed her eyes for the final time.

Bardock had just finished digging himself out of the remains of a car that his hefty body mass had crushed, when he heard the explosion. He looked up sharply and saw Ginyu and Burter hovering side by side. He followed their line of sight and spotted the smoke and flames that had engulfed a building. The entire top portion looked to have been blown off. His eyes began to dart all around. Where was Seripa?

Junior smirked and turned away from the building to look for his dad. He grimaced as soon as he spotted him getting pummeled by Tettuce into the side of a building. He glanced down at Bardock to see him distracted with looking for the female and he smirked again.

"Burter, finish off the other Saiyan. I am going to assist my father!"

Burter jerked in surprise but nodded in response. "Yes, Commander. Good luck." He looked down at Bardock and dove towards him just as Junior took off towards Tettuce and Ginyu.

Bardock looked up sharply as his senses detected the blue alien. His eyes narrowed and he took to the air, vanishing immediately afterward. Burter blinked and then came to a screeching halt as Bardock slammed his fist into his cheek, sending him rocketing back up into the sky and slamming into Junior's retreating form.

Junior recovered and looked down in irritation to find that the Saiyan was flying up at him at full speed. He smirked, "Come on, Saiyan! Seriously?"

"Yes!" Bardock's blue aura suddenly exploded outward, enlarging as his speed increased several fold.

Junior blinked in surprise as the Saiyan closed the distance between them in a blink.

"I'll kill you for what you did to Seripa!"

"Oh?" Junior brought his hand up and caught the fist that Bardock thrust his way with a grin. "How, exactly?"

Bardock grimaced and growled, baring his teeth in anger as his onyx eyes locked with Junior's red, "Anyway I can. Even if it kills me!" His aura flared to life and he ripped his fist free of Junior's grasp. As soon as he did, his aura flared to twice its size and he brought his other fist around in a hooking punch aimed at Junior's jaw. He put every ounce of muscle and ki that he could behind the punch, with the aim to tear the Ginyu's head from his shoulders. His fist made contact and Junior flew backwards…

About ten feet. His head had tilted back a few inches from the blow, but not so much that Bardock couldn't see the red eyes locked on him.

"Saiyan, you don't stand a cha-" A pink ball of ki slammed into the top of his head and exploded on contact, cutting him off mid-sentence and sending him flying towards the ground.

Seripa appeared suddenly flying down after him at full speed, her aura leaving a streak of violet in the air. She brought both hands around and yelling at the top of her lungs, she fired off a blast, channeling every bit of ki she could spare into it. It slammed into Junior's exposed back and carried him down to the street, where it exploded with so much force that a significant portion of the city was destroyed; cars, trees, and buildings vanished in a massive ball of light for blocks. Anything that wasn't engulfed by the explosion was swept away in the resulting gale.

As the winds tore at her, Seripa crossed her arms over her face and tucked her knees in close to her chest. She knew she had meant to cause a lot of damage, but she hadn't exactly expected her blast to be _that_ powerful. She peered from behind her arms down at the light as it began to recede.

"Seripa! Move!"

She jerked around in mid-air, looking up to see Bardock hovering above her, his blue aura burning bright and a ball of blue ki in his outstretched right hand. She turned and flew out of the way just as he threw his hand down.

"Final Spirit Cannon!" The ball enlarged and shot from his hand into a massive blast, rocketing down in the midst of the receding light…and there was another massive explosion.

Seripa kept her arms up over her face as the light swirled around, the destructive force it contained tearing apart the ground and what remained of any buildings that had survived her attack. Surely _that_ got Junior…

A streak of purple shot from the center of the light and came to a stop right before her. Junior narrowed his red eyes first at her then looked up at Bardock.

"You two are out-classed. I barely felt either of those…"

Seripa didn't doubt that they were out-classed…but Junior was breathing heavily as he hovered in front of her so she knew that they had done something to him, despite his claim. She glanced up at Bardock to see him still engulfed in his blue aura, his dark eyes glaring down at the Ginyu. She returned her gaze to the brat and narrowed her eyes. Tettuce had the power to take him down, but he was still busy with the boy's father. They would have to manage for just a bit lon-

Before she knew it, she'd been hit from behind and was falling towards the ground. She twisted around, shaking her head to clear it from the strike and looked up to see who had hit her: it was Burter! She narrowed her eyes again and growled under her breath. She'd lost a lot of ki in trying to take Junior down, but she should still have enough to finish this bastard…Wait, where was Junior?

"Below you!" Bardock cried out just as he took off towards her.

She blinked and flared her remaining ki to stop her flight, but she was struck in the small of her back and she came to an abrupt stop then. The pain slowly beginning to make itself known, she shoved it out of her mind and spun around to drive her fist into Junior's face, but he caught it easily. With his free hand he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her within a few inches of his face, his red eyes boring into her purple.

"Lord Frieza wants you alive, if at all possible…Unfortunately, it's not going to be possible." And with that, he reared around and threw her with all his might down into the ground some thirty feet below them. She slammed into the street, and the concrete caved in around her tiny body, chunks of it rising up out of the ground at the edges of the crater that had just been created. She lay still for a moment then opened her eyes, just as Junior was dropping down with his knee aimed for her face.

Gathering what ki she had available, she quickly channeled it throughout her body and she swung her legs up and around, just barely flipping out of the way of the knee-strike. As she sprang off of her hands, she glanced at Junior to see him pulling his leg out of the concrete. Her feet touched the street and both hands were aimed at the Ginyu. Just behind him she saw Burter slam into the ground beneath Bardock's feet, and she couldn't keep from grinning as Bardock brought both of his hands around to aim at Junior.

Taking a deep breath, Seripa suddenly cried out in discomfort and defiance as she fired off her remaining ki at the same time that Bardock fired off his attack. Her pink blast sailed at Junior who just stood there, his eyes narrowed at her.

"What do you expect that to do?" He suddenly blinked and then glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened and both blasts slammed into him at the same time.

The resulting explosion was more than Seripa could withstand, and she found herself flying backwards down the street. After what seemed an eternity, she slammed into the concrete and rolled end over end until she hit a half-standing wall. There, she was still as she took in breath, after heavy breath. Her head was spinning and her arms and legs felt like lead. She didn't want to move just yet, but she knew she couldn't lay there forever. With a sigh that turned into a groan, she heaved herself to her feet, staggering as she did so. She looked at the damage that had been caused by the explosion and saw Junior lying in the middle of a crater that was about sixty feet across; most of his armor was gone and he wasn't moving. She let out a breath and glanced around for Bardock; she found him in the air looking down at her, holding an unconscious Burter by his neck. She smiled up at him and he smirked in response, letting Burter go to fall down by his beaten comrade.

"You never cease to amaze me," said Bardock as he touched down beside her. He smirked at her before nodding to where the two Ginyu Force members were laying. "The blue one was a pushover, but Junior there was pretty tough."

"Yeah, but not as tough as us," Seripa grinned back. She looked to the crater just as Burter was thrown off of Junior, who stood up immediately after, staggering slightly. "What?" she said, her eyes going wide.

Bardock followed her gaze and his eyes narrowed. "Shit! What does it take to kill him?"

"More than either of you is capable of," breathed Junior. He grimaced and clutched the side of his head. They had gotten him good, but he wasn't about to admit it to them. "I'm Commander Ginyu! The only being stronger than me is my father!" He spread his legs into a stance and brought his fists up. "It'll take much more than _that_ to beat _me_!" He sprang forward and shot at them.

Bardock shoved Seripa roughly out of the way and Junior slammed into him, carrying him backwards as he repeatedly drove his knee into the Saiyan's stomach.

Seripa pushed herself up with a groan. She'd lost way more ki than she'd thought. Getting quickly to her feet she took off running after them, to save her ki, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it!" She skid to a stop and began to look around for them. A shockwave to her left and she took off running around the side of a building. "Bardock?"

_**DBZ**_

Amotto was still trying to figure out exactly how she'd ended up in this situation. When everyone was boarding Falmer's ship it was discovered that there was room enough for them all, except for one person. Why, she didn't know, but she'd volunteered to be left behind. Falmer had given her a scouter to use and when they left she took off towards the distant battlefield. On her way, she'd been playing around with the scouter to get a measure of the powers that were in play on Jynn-jin 13. The scouter had immediately pointed her towards two smaller powers back in the direction of the lab they'd just escaped from, just as the slightly larger of the two vanished.

So she had flown at full speed back to the lab to investigate and had arrived just in time to see a monster of a Flazerian about to kill Berik. She didn't know why she did it, but she dove through the window and snatched up Berik and shot away before the Flazerian, who the Jynn-jin in her grasp revealed to be Ryo, could figure out what had happened.

Now, here she was with Berik clutched firmly to her side, weaving in and out of buildings as fast as she could fly. She was staying low, trying to avoid being spotted by Ryo. He had given chase and quickly proven that he was _much much_ faster than her.

"Just how strong is Ryo?" demanded Amotto as she turned a corner to her right, then took an immediate left, her light blue aura trailing behind her. Her breathing was getting heavier by the minute; she wasn't used to putting out this much ki at once.

"Tettuce would not stand a chance against him. His last known power reading put him over a quarter million-"

Amotto groaned. "Oh gods, what have I gotten myself into?" She glared down at Berik. "You better make this worth my while!"

Berik grimaced apologetically. "I do appreciate the rescue, Amotto. If we survive, then I will repay you in any way that I can." He glanced backwards and tensed. "Look out!" He grabbed her shoulders and flared his own ki to propel them sideways out of the path of a rapidly-approaching energy blast; they slammed into the side of a building and went sprawling across the debris-strewn floor of an upper story office.

Amotto shook her head and started to push herself up. She froze as she spotted the lifeless stare of a blue haired Jynn-jin, his head bent at an awkward angle on his neck. She glanced away and across the room when she heard Berik cough. Pushing herself up, she made her way to him. "You okay?"

"I should ask you that. You hit the wall first." He looked up at her and stood up. "I'm sure Ryo saw where we went. If he's seen us, then we can't escape," he said quietly.

Amotto frowned and glanced down. She suddenly looked back up and stared at his blue hair. She looked across the room at the blue-haired figure and smiled grimly. "One of us can," she said, nodding her head towards the corpse.

The Jynn-jin frowned and followed her gaze. He stared at the body for a moment then his eyes widened and he turned back to her. "No! Ryo will kill you!"

Amotto shrugged. "He's gotta catch me first."

"Oh, he'll catch you. Didn't you hear how-"

"I heard how strong he is!" she snapped irritably. "I've made my choice. If we both run, we'll both die. But if I lure him away, then one of us will be guaranteed life. There's no sense in wasting two lives," she finished grimly.

Berik lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I can't allow you to die for me, Amotto. I've done too many terrible things to warrant my survival."

"The way I see it, you've done them to achieve a greater good. What you did for Seripa is example enough."

He shook his head. "No matter what I do, I'll never make up for the things I've done. Don't die for me."

Amotto sighed and walked over to the corpse. She lifted the body up and slung the dead man's arm across her shoulder. She turned her gaze on Berik and smiled slightly. "We Saiyans aren't exactly saints, you know. Allow me my one chance at redeeming my race." A light blue aura appeared around her and she blasted away through the opening made by their entrance before Berik could stop her.

He ran to the hole in the wall and stared up after her. She was flying rapidly up into the sky; seconds later he spotted the red aura of Ryo as he gave chase.

Berik clenched his fists at his sides as hard as he could; they began to tremble as his eyes narrowed. He pulled a small round device from his belt and tapped the side lightly. A red lense sprang forth and he placed the scouter onto his ear. He tapped a few buttons and it came to life with a soft beeping.

_"Who the hell is this?"_ came a gruff voice suddenly.

"This is Berik of Jynn-jin 13."

_"Berik, eh? You know who you've just contacted?"_

Berik closed his eyes and grit his teeth. "I know more than that. I've spent years looking for you ever since I found out you faked your death."

_"Aah…you do know who I am, then." _The voice laughed. _"Well Berik, what do you want?"_

"I want you to know that everything that's happened here on Jynn-jin 13 today is a direct result of what you did thirty years ago. Everything that's happened throughout the entire universe is a result of your evil. I may die today and I don't want to die without telling you exactly how I feel about you."

_"I gather you hate me, eh? How's that supposed to make me feel, exactly? We Saiyans are used to such animosity, ya know."_

"I know, and I do not care. You were supposed to be on-world for peace! Why would you assassinate our Prince?" Berik suddenly roared. He wanted to be calm when addressing this man, but thirty years of anger and hatred was now spilling forth.

_"Same reason I faked my death: Frieza. You know how it is for Saiyans: Frieza says jump, we gotta say 'how high.' I knew even then that we weren't nothin' but pawns, but what was I to do? Frieza's power is monstrous; I've known it for years. I knew there wasn't nothin' I could do to defy him." _

"Do you have to sound so unapologetic?"

The man laughed. _"What do you want me to say? 'I'm sorry for killin' your Prince Jaxom?' Jynn-jin, listen and listen good: I had no choice. If I could take it all back, I would, but there's no sense in me wastin' precious minutes outta my life frettin' over somethin' that happened more'n thirty years ago."_

Berik ground his teeth together. "You could have done what was right and stood up against that tyrannical lizard! Like Tettuce and the Gylderians! Like Seripa, Amotto, and Bardock! You could have been the leader of a great uprising! You could have been responsible for the freedom and survival of countless races!"

The voice scoffed. _"My former apprentice is a fool if he thinks he can stand against Frieza."_

"No, Turpin. _You_ are the fool." Berik killed the transmission and closed his eyes. What had he hoped to accomplish by contacting that old foolish, Survivor?

_**DBZ**_

Ginyu ducked under Tettuce's punch and lashed out with his own fist in an attempt to strike the Saiyan in his jaw, but the blow was deflected and he felt a smashing blow to his cheek that sent him rocketing down into the roof of a building and slamming violently through floor after floor after floor, until he finally struck the bottom floor and became imbedded in the glistening marble of the lobby of what used to be a hotel. He remained there for a few moments letting the pain in his cheek subside, before he climbed to his feet again.

"You'll never beat him."

He spun around and brought his fists up, but almost immediately he relaxed as he saw that it was Flazamyn, leaning nonchalantly against a cracked marble pillar. "Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?" he seethed at the Flazerian.

Flazamyn met his gaze unflinchingly and arched a dark, plated brow. "Really?"

Ginyu snapped his mouth shut and glared at him. Who did this Flazerian think he was, addressing Major Ginyu so? "You're in my way." Ginyu lifted into the air and prepared to throw himself back into the fight.

"I know about your so-called 'secret technique."

The Major froze and narrowed his eyes and he rotated slowly in midair to glare at Flazamyn. "What secret technique?"

The Flazerian smirked. "I know that you have the rare ability to switch bodies with an opponent."

"And how, exactly, would you know about that?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters, is you using it on Tettuce while I distract him." Flazamyn stood away from the pillar and met Ginyu's gaze steadily.

The purple warrior frowned and landed suddenly. "What's in it for you?" Ginyu asked cautiously.

"Nothing, except that Tettuce would be out of the picture if you steal his body. A mutual enemy taken out by our cooperating together." The massive Flazerian grinned. "Seems worth any and all consequences, to me."

"How do I know you don't have any ulterior motives?"

Flazamyn vanished and instantly reappeared standing toe-to-toe with Ginyu, but easily towered over him. "You want me to side with Tettuce, instead? I'm sure he and I would make a hell of a team…" His eyes narrowed menacingly as he regarded the purple warrior.

"And if I take Tettuce's body then I will have his strength to use against _you,_" Ginyu growled. "I know you've given that some thought. What would I do to you once I possess his power?"

"Like I said, it seems worth any and all consequences. Tettuce is a _Saiyan_! Surely you've heard the tales about Super Saiyans?"

Ginyu scoffed and turned his back to Flazamyn. "Ancient stories and myths, Flazerian. There has never before been a real Super Saiyan and even if they did exist, there's no way a Super Saiyan could face Frieza."

"Then why does Frieza want this group of Saiyans dead so bad?"

Ginyu frowned and glanced over his shoulder to give Flazamyn a piercing stare. But he had to admit that was a good question. Why did Frieza want Tettuce dead so badly? Tettuce was strong, Ginyu had found that out the hard way, but he was still nowhere near as powerful as Frieza. But he also had to admit that the Saiyan's power had risen to a level never before thought possible of Saiyans. Could it be that Tettuce was on the path to becoming one of these Super Saiyans? Could he have achieved that power already? Was _that_ why he was so powerful? During the Saiyan's power up he had noticed the strange gold flashes in his aura. No Saiyan that he had ever met (and he'd met hundreds) had ever before shown that kind of power.

"_Ginyu!_"

Ginyu looked up into the sky through the holes in the roof created by his fall and spotted the tiny floating figure that was Tettuce. If he went back out there he was going to die…He had known that all along, but it wasn't in him to quit so easily. He had to fight the Saiyan; he had to _beat _the Saiyan. By any means necessary.

Turning back to Flazamyn he offered him a grim smile. "If we do this, we have to do it fast."

Flazamyn grinned and narrowed his eyes. "Maybe it'll buy some time before Ryo gets here."

Ginyu started visibly and his eyes went wide. "Ryo? He's coming here?"

The Flazerian nodded and held up his scouter. "What the hell do you think I've been doing since I was knocked down? You know I'm strong enough to take a blow or two from you. When I realized that Tettuce was here I decided to lay low and contact Ryo. Unlike you, Ginyu, I've been keeping tabs on the Saiyan. I didn't know his full power, but I did know that his reading was way higher than yours or mine. And to top it off, Ginyu," he continued when he noticed the anger that was beginning to etch itself into the purple warrior's face, "Zether, the Gylderian, is here, too. And his strength rivals Tettuce's. Do you want to face _two _fighters with ridiculous power readings at once?"

Ginyu glared at Flazamyn for several long moments. Ryo showing up did throw a wrench into his plans, but soon it wouldn't matter. Flazamyn had a great plan—have _him_ switch bodies with Tettuce and steal his strength. Sure it wasn't enough to beat Ryo, but when _Frieza _arrived from his little errand, then none of it would matter. By the day's end, not only would Tettuce and the other Saiyans, and Ryo and his strongest Overseer be dead, but the Gylderian Empire and the Flazerian Empire would be finished. Surely by now Frieza had already destroyed Planet Gylder…?

_**DBZ**_

_(Frieza is on his way to Jynn-jin 13! Has he really destroyed the Planet Gylder? Will Ginyu's plan succeed? We can only hope our heroes can survive this ordeal. Find out next time on Dragon….uh…I mean, Find out next time on Witness!) _


	14. Monster: Part II

_**Chapter Fourteen: Monster (Part II) **_

"_It's scratching on the walls,_

_In the closet, in the halls  
It comes awake and I can't control it  
Hiding under the bed, _

_In my body, _

_In my head  
Why won't somebody come and save me from this, _

_Make it end?"_

_** Monster-Skillet**_

_**DBZ**_

Aurah's knees trembled and she gripped the throne before her as the images of a destroyed planet played out across the holo-screen projected in the center of the bridge via the Galactic Band Network. Behind her Falmer, Broco, Sushinae and the other members of the small survival party stared on in stunned silence. Lessbru clutched at his pilot's seat while the other members of the bridge wiped silently at their eyes.

_"Such devastation…It appears the rumors _really _are true that days ago a rogue comet completely obliterated the Gylderian homeworld. No word yet on any possible survivors, but as you can see before you, that does not seem to be a possibility at this point…"_

Aurah's eyes glistened and two thin silver streams fell down her cheeks silently. Her home…gone. Both sides of her being had now been completely eradicated from the universe. First the Saiyans…now the Gylderians. Both Leta and Surah were now endangered species…She closed her eyes against the tears trying to get control of herself. She heard the voices of the people still looking to her as their Matron, but they merely washed over her, her sorrows drowning the sounds around her.

Her father's Empire was gone! She sank down to her knees taking deep breaths. By a rogue comet—ha! She knew better. She had seen what remained of Planet Vegeta when Frieza destroyed it; she knew his handiwork and this was clearly it. Her eyes opened and the luminescent pupils seemed brighter as she pulled herself back to her feet.

"Your Highness?"

Aurah glanced over to where Lessbru now sat at the helm. "What is it?"

"Incoming transmission. Unencrypted—hailing from Space Station Celestine Prime…He…says his name is Turpin." Lessbru frowned and cast a confused glance her way.

Aurah frowned dubiously and shook her head. "Impossible…" She fell silent and looked down for a moment. Could it be possible…? "Patch him through."

The holoscreen flashed and the image of an old man appeared in place of the remains of the Gylderian homeworld. The man had a thick black beard that stretched down so that it barely brushed the fabric of the cloak he had draped around his body. Shining beneath his bushy black unibrow was as a single eye, as the other was covered with a red eye patch. The face around the eye and behind the beard looked like it'd been through a grinder before; it was a mess of criss-crossing scars and areas where gouges of flesh had been long-ago torn from his face. Added to that were the wrinkles of advanced age. He had no hair on the top of his scarred head, and only a single ear; if it could even be called an ear, there being only half of it remaining.

Aurah stared in disbelief at the image before her. It really _was _Turpin! She'd seen more than enough pictures of him to know him on sight, after all. And to top it off, he looked as if he hadn't changed a bit in the twenty years since anyone had seen him alive.

_"Ah, so ya must be Aurah," _said Turpin gruffly. _"Pretty thing ya are fer sure. I see yer in a bit o' a fix, too. Planet bein' d'stroyed an' all. Whadda shame. Saiyans an' Gylderians are extin't races now. Or they'll be 'fore too long." _He grinned, flashing two gap-filled rows of teeth. He maybe had a total of fifteen teeth. _"I ex-press my con-dol-en-ces," _he continued, carefully sounding out the unfamiliar syllables of the words. _"Whar's tha' fool boy o' mine, now? Tettuce. Whar's tha' brat?"_

Aurah frowned at the screen. "Tettuce is currently on Jynn-jin 13, fighting with the Flazerians and the Ginyu Force."

_"Ah, knew tha' boy'd grow up t' be a fool." _Turpin sighed and shook his head. _"He done let tha' stren'th o' his get tha best o' him, hadn' he?" _

"What's that mean?" Aurah said coldly. No one on her ship said a thing.

_"Tettuce can't fight Frieza. _I _can't fight Frieza, so he's sure's as hell can't."_

"Tettuce is much stronger than he used to be! At the moment he is literally toying with Major Ginyu, having the time of his life in humiliating him!" the Gylderian/Saiyan hybrid yelled at the holoscreen. "You have been absent for decades, so what would you know about anything?"

Turpin arched up a hairless brow and grinned again. _"Tha' so? I can believe tha', but he ain't as strong as me. Neva 'as been and neva will be."_

"What do you want?" Aurah suddenly demanded. "Why have you contacted us? And most importantly, _how the hell are you alive?_"

_"A body doesn't usually survive bein' put to death by Frieza…unless, of course, he sends someone too weak t' do tha job!" _Turpin laughed and folded his arms across his chest. The fist of his left hand looked grotesque: it was more or less a ball of flesh that had melted into an ugly scarred mess of a club. _"I knew tryin' to stay livin' was outta the question. So I made it look like I was obli'era'ed by Ginyu's killin' beam, but instead I lived on. Tha' fool coulda neva bea'en me; sometimes I regre' fakin' my death 'cause o' how full o' himself Ginyu's become. Lousy creep." _

"That doesn't tell me anything! Why are you contacting us?" Aurah demanded again.

_"I was jus' contacted by a Jynn-jin callin' hisself 'Berik.' He told me tha' the universe has gone to shit and it's my fault. I was tryin' to reach Tettuce t' see what's goin' on. I miss'd somethin' 'parran'ly." _

"You've missed a great deal you old Survivor!" Aurah cried out at the holoscreen, calling Turpin the dirtiest thing she could manage to call him. No self-respecting Saiyan would stand for being called a Survivor, especially not one who looked as old as Turpin.

Turpin narrowed his one eye coldly and his upper lip curled up in agitation. He suddenly threw back a fold of his cloak to reveal his bare chest which looked worse, if that was even possible, than his face. _"Do I look like a Survivor to you?" _he yelled, brandishing the club of his left hand. _"Do I look like I've run from a battle in my entire life?" _His other hand indicated the scars that covered his face and bare chest.

"The fact that you're alive when you should be dead is proof enough," said Aurah coldly, her tone dripping with unbridled malice. "You have proven yourself to be a Survivor through and through. Now, don't contact us again. You're dirtying up our channels."

The ancient Saiyan laughed, the wrinkles on his face vanishing in his amusement. _"Leave it t' my boy t' match himself wit' someone like you." _He narrowed his eye as he looked at her closely. _"When ya see 'im, tell Tettuce tha' I'll be meetin' up wit' ya soon. Berik got me t' thinkin' and if ya want to stand against Frieza, then mey'be times have fin'lly changed. Mey'be the lizard will fin'lly fall."_

Aurah frowned and lifted a hand to tuck some dread-locks behind her ear. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't bring herself to trust him. Sure, Turpin was Tettuce's mentor and teacher, but Tettuce had told her too much about him for her to trust him. He was a powerful old warrior and Tettuce claimed to have surpassed him, but there were times when even he was unsure. He would constantly tell her that Turpin always seemed reserved, even when he seemed to be going all out in battle.

Tettuce had always wondered about it, and to this day it still bothered him. Just how strong had Turpin been? He always wondered why he got the feeling that his teacher was holding out on him. Tettuce has said he assumed that Turpin was as powerful or near to as powerful as he was now, but it was a baseless assumption. He said he had never gotten a decent reading of Turpin's power with a scouter because it was always different; sometimes it'd be in the ten thousands, sometimes the thirty thousands, and other times it'd read as low as a couple hundred. It was clear he had kept it purposely guarded from even his protégé…so what else was he hiding from them, especially since he'd apparently faked his own death?

_"I seen the news on the _Galactic Band _abou' yer world. So when ya get done there, head on over t' Celestine Prime. I'll be waitin'." _His image vanished instantly as he cut the connection.

Falmer pursed his lips and glanced at Aurah. "What is the plan, Your Highness? We are all that remains of our people…" he trailed off as she turned her luminescent hues on him.

"We will survive, Falmer." She turned to look around at everyone on the bridge; they were all regarding her silently. She smiled as encouragingly as she could, but her eyes were hard and set. "Do not believe what the _Galactic Band _says about what happened to our home. I do not believe for an instant that Frieza did not have a hand in this destruction. He threatens peace and all those who hold it dear. He would have the Gylderian Empire fall by destroying our home, but we cannot forget that the Empire is more than just we, the Gylderians. We have allies and many others who look to us for support, and I, for one, refuse to let Frieza subjugate them or any of us."

She clenched both fists tight at her sides. "W-what he has done is despicable. Believe me when I say that…that this action has left me distraught. I have little hope for the future, but still I must, not only as your Matron and leader, but as Leta the Saiyan," at this her eyes were for the Saiyans scattered around the bridge, "and Surah the Gylderian;" her gaze was a little softer as she regarded the sorrowful Gylderians around her, "As Aurah the Hybrid, I must continue to stand against Frieza. He and his family have caused more than enough suffering in this universe! I-_we_-cannot let it continue any longer.

"He wants a war…Then I, Aurah the Hybrid, Matron of the Gylderian Empire, daughter of the late Lord Vogan;" she paused, frowning slightly. She seemed to consider something, then smiled slightly and said, "daughter, also, of the late Lord Spinac, do declare war against Frieza and the whole Ice-jin Empire! It is time the Cold Regime answered for their crimes!"

_**DBZ**_

Broco and Lessbru exchanged glances and the former Saiyan frowned slightly. So Lessbru had taken interest, as well. The others of their race were casting around a few confused glances as well. Aurah had just claimed to be both Saiyan and Gylderian, and sure enough Broco had noticed the strange silver and brown tail wrapped snuggly around the woman's waist. But she was claiming to be the daughter of a member of the royal family; a member known to have no children; or apparently had claimed that he didn't have children.

Broco looked across the bridge when he spotted Etapa looking at him. He smiled slightly and she returned it timidly. She was bothered by it, too, it seemed. But she was also visibly glad to see him, and he was glad to see her, too. His sister had always been his favorite family member; she had been the only one who had not resented him for leaving the battlefield. She was the only one who'd understood that it was more than just the fighting that had driven him away. To see one's team slaughtered before one's eyes; to see your own twin brother die senselessly and for you to be spared; she had understood what the real reason had been.

He tore his gaze from the delightful sight of his sister and looked back at the resolute figure of Aurah standing before her throne now. She and Falmer were in deep conversation, their voices lowered to keep it between themselves. He frowned at the look on Falmer's face as the man touched the side of his head and furrowed his brow. What was going on now?

_**DBZ**_

Falmer shook his head and leaned in closer to Aurah. "I am certain it is Ryo. I have never felt his power before, no, but this…this must surely be it. It is _massive! _Tettuce and the others must fall back to the ship! We have to warn them, but Tettuce did not take a scouter with him."

"Did you not leave one with Amotto?"

"That's right! I'd forgotten about that." He hurriedly grabbed his own communication scouter from his waist and put it on his ear just as the blue screen slid from its compartment and flipped over his eye. "Amotto!"

"_Huh? Who is this?" _came an instant reply. Several heads turned about the bridge to look at Falmer in surprise.

"This is Falmer Zetra! Listen to me closely. Ryo is there on Jynn-jin 13—"

_"Tell me something I don't know!" _Amotto cried over the intercom. _"He's chasing me as we speak and gods—he's fast! I'm flying full out and he's gaining steadily on me! This extra weight doesn't help," _she muttered, almost to herself. _"Sorry!" _There was a muffled rustling and a faint whistling.

Falmer frowned. "Why are you apologizing-? No, never mind. Can you reach Tettuce and the others?"

_"I don't know…Maybe. But I'll draw Ryo right to them if I do that."_

"I know…Gods, I know." Falmer closed his eyes. What should he do then? Maybe Zether and Tettuce could take Ryo if they teamed up…He shook his head; no there was no way. The ki he felt from Ryo was beyond what those two were capable of. They were strong, but this was something else. It was comparable only to what he'd felt from Frieza's brother, Coola that time.

_"Look, not to be rude or nothing,"_ Amotto suddenly yelled, _"but if you don't have any sort of advice then leave me alone! I need my full focus to run from this guy!" _

"Forgive me! Listen…lead him to Tettuce and the others. I am going to fly down to where you all are and pick you up. But you all have to be ready—we'll only get the one chance!" Gods he was insane to try this, but his ship was fast enough to pull it off. They would not, of course, be able to stop. Tettuce and the others would have to board while the ship was in motion. And in order for this to work he would have to be going fast enough that Ryo would not be able to prevent their escape.

_"Okay, I'll try and take him that way."_

"Be safe and good luck." Falmer turned to Aurah. "I'll do my best to bring Tettuce back safe. Zether, too, of course." He smiled to Sushinae when she regarded him. He stepped away from Aurah and saluted her before promptly turning and running back to his ship.

Broco stared after him silently before glancing at Etapa. But his thoughts were on Amotto.

_**DBZ**_

__Tettuce drummed his fingers across his bicep in irritation. It had been nearly ten minutes since he'd knocked Ginyu down into the building and he was losing his patience.

"Ginyu! Hurry up and come fight me! I know you're not beaten, yet!" He spotted a blur of motion from the corner of his eyes and he floated back out of the way of a yellow blast that had been aiming for his head. He located the source of the blast and narrowed his eyes at the Flazerian that was glaring at him. "Flazamyn! This fight currently has nothing to do with you. But if you want to die, then just wait around until I'm finished with Ginyu. I have plenty of anger to go around!"

Flazamyn smiled thinly and drifted closer to the Saiyan. His eyes narrowed as he regarded Tettuce's blank eyes; his pupils seemed to have been swallowed by the white of his cornea. What was this power doing to him?

"Believe it or not, Tettuce, this fight does concern me. I have already dealt with Ginyu and now I must finish you for trespassing into Flazerian territory. The Gylderian Empire has once again overstepped its bounds!" He lunged forward suddenly, moving as fast as he could.

Tettuce appeared before him and he backhanded the Flazerian down into the ground. He dropped down beside him and folded his arms across his chest as he stood over him.

"You are interfering with matters that don't concern you. Ginyu and I have a score to settle; but if you want to fight that bad, then I suppose I can humor you. I did come here today to do more than just rescue Aurah and the others."

Flazamyn's eyes shot open and he looked sharply up at Tettuce. "Aurah? She was here?"

Tettuce grinned and narrowed his eyes. "Yes, she was." He suddenly jerked Flazamyn up and slammed his fist into his stomach, sending him sailing down the street. Tettuce lunged forward and flipped around to deliver a sound kick into Flazamyn's head, sending him crashing into the street with shockwave-inducing force.

Flazamyn cringed as Tettuce landed beside him in the water-filled hole he found himself laying in. His whole body trembled as he struggled to climb to his feet and he'd only been hit a grand total of three times. Was Tettuce really that amazing a warrior? He lifted his dark gaze and glared at the Saiyan standing mere feet from him.

"You are remarkable, Saiyan. But this is your end." Flazamyn brought both hands around to bear and he fired a full-powered blast at point-blank; the resulting explosion kicked up enough dust and flying debris to hide the Flazerian from view, enabling him to spring backwards. He'd gone no more than a few feet when Tettuce came zooming out of the smoke to slam his gloved fist into his plated cheek.

Flazamyn rocketed down into the ground and Tettuce stared after him. He didn't see Ginyu as the purple warrior rose up out of the dust and smoke below them.

Ginyu grinned and threw both arms out as wide as they would go. He had the Saiyan now! Flazamyn had provided quite the distraction, after all. Now all he had to do was catch Tettuce just right…

"Tettuce!"

The Saiyan turned in mid air to glare at the Major. "So you've come back?"

_"CHANGE!" _Ginyu's body was suddenly bathed in a bright, pulsating golden light.

In the same instant, Tettuce realized that his body was frozen in place. He struggled to angle his head down to look at his fists, but something had completely immobilized him. What was Ginyu doing? What was happening to his body?

Laughing, Ginyu threw his head back as the light suddenly spread out from his body and then shot like an arrow towards the frozen Saiyan. Before it had even covered half the distance between them, his head suddenly snapped forward and the golden light vanished with a _crack!_ as he was sent rocketing down into the ground.

Tettuce shook his head and followed Ginyu's descent before lifting his gaze to let it settle on Zether Zetra, hovering smugly in the fading plumes of smoke. He smirked at the Gylderian. "I suppose this means I owe you something?"

"Only a rematch when we return to Gylder." Zether grinned, narrowing his golden eyes coldly at his rival. "I've done some serious training since our last fight, and I gotta say that I think I can finally beat you."

Tettuce narrowed his eyes and a sadistic grin spread across his features. "We will just have to see about that, Gylderian." He looked down to the ground as Ginyu shot out of the smoke and launched himself towards Zether. Flazamyn appeared right after him and shot around to fly up at Zether from behind. Tettuce looked between the two of them silently and mumbled under his breath, "Fools."

Flazamyn glanced down at Tettuce and then vanished. He reappeared shooting by Ginyu, "Again!" then vanished once more. He reappeared again, this time enshrouded in a violently burning red aura, a few feet in front of Tettuce just as Ginyu doubled around and shot away from the visibly stunned Zether.

Tettuce snarled and brought his hand up to catch Flazamyn, but the Flazerian vanished yet again, catching the Saiyan by surprise. Before he could even look around he felt Flazamyn clamp on to him, wrapping his arms all the way around him and locking his wrists firmly together. Tettuce knew he meant business as all of Flazamyn's power was going into restraining him. He tried to break the Flazerian's grasp, but he held firm.

"_Ch-change!"_

Tettuce looked up at Ginyu and his eyes widened as he felt his body go rigid against his will. The sensation had returned; he couldn't break free no matter what now. What was Ginyu doing? What did he mean by crying out 'change'?

Zether shimmered into view behind Ginyu and delivered a crushing blow to his neck, sending him careening down to the ground again.

"What?" cried Flazamyn in dismay.

Tettuce grinned and took advantage of his surprise by driving both elbows as hard as he could into his chest, knocking him loose. He then spun free of his hold and slammed both fists into his stomach soundly, sending him flying backwards. He looked to his right as Zether dropped down beside him.

"What do you suppose they're trying to do?" asked Zether quietly.

"Don't know. It won't be nice, though. Both times Ginyu said 'change', my whole body froze up. I-" he instantly fell silent and snapped his gaze around to glare towards the horizon; he glared at the last fading rays of the red sun that was just then vanishing below the horizon.

Zether followed his gaze and his eyes narrowed. "I know that power." He smiled viciously and glanced to Tettuce.

The Saiyan frowned and looked over at the younger man. "Well aren't you excited? Ryo makes a sudden appearance and you look to be itching to fight him, when common sense clearly says we flee."

"You're a Saiyan; what do you know about common sense?" Zether suddenly laughed.

Tettuce grinned. "Fair enough. Guess we should finish this now. I'll take Ginyu; you finish Flazamyn." He launched himself down toward the ground, while at the same time Zether shot off to search for the Flazerian in question.

_**DBZ**_

Meanwhile, at the same moment, Bardock and Seripa were still fighting against Junior. After their last attack on him, his power had been depleted greatly. Despite this, however, he still held the upper hand. Launching simultaneous attacks on him resulted in Junior ducking, dodging, and parrying their best offensive strikes. Neither Bardock nor Seripa was holding anything back, but Junior merely danced around them both with fluid grace.

He seemed too much like he was toying with them, and Bardock was not liking it. And judging from the growls and curses he was hearing from his mate, Seripa wasn't either.

Bardock's fists were blurs as he tried desperately to hit Junior, but the Ginyu had obviously learned his lesson from before. Together, he and Seripa had done more damage to Junior than he wanted to admit, but it was still not enough to finish him. He knew, though, that if the two of them managed another large attack against him, then that would probably be it. He wasn't going to let that happen, though.

Moving faster than they could track, both of his hands lashed out and he grabbed the two of them by their necks, snatching them out of the air. Clamping down tight enough to cut off their air supply, he held the two Saiyans at arm's length over the city, grinning at them the entire time.

"It's too bad this is the end. You two are marvelous fighters."

Seripa wanted to retort, but it was all she could do just to glare at the brat. Her last attack had drained her ki dangerously and with his hand crushing her windpipe, well, there was just nothing she could say.

Junior turned his cold red eyes on her and he sneered. "You deserve death for what you have done to Recoome. He was a great warrior and a valuable member of the Ginyu Force. Do you know how hard it's going to be to replace him?"

"Don't…care..!" Seripa struggled out, her face turning blue with the effort as she grasped at the purple fingers digging bruises into her neck. This wasn't going to be her end. She and Bardock were in a desperate situation, but they would prevail. They always did. She strained to turn her eyes to look at him, but his were closed tightly and he was grasping at Junior's hand in growing weakness.

Junior laughed out loud at Seripa. "You are a very spirited female, but this is the end of the line for the both of you! Starting with you!"

Seripa felt herself swing around as Junior reared back, and then she was falling rapidly toward the city. She didn't have the ki needed to stop her descent before she hit the ground, so she just looked up at Junior and her eyes immediately went wide as she saw the purple ball of ki flying down at her.

So this was it, after all? She smiled and closed her eyes. She had gone as far as she could and met her end against a powerful foe. What more could she ask..?

Her eyes shot open again and she glared up at the approaching blast. Oh yeah, she still had to kill Frieza!

Ki began to crackle around her body and she grit her teeth as she flared it all backwards, trying to propel herself back toward Junior and Bardock. But the brat had put more power into that throw than she was capable of counter-acting and her descent continued. She was going to hit the ground and then that blast was going to completely obliterate her. There really _was _nothing more she could do.

_"SERIPA!" _

A blue-limned figure blurred between her and the blast and she blinked in surprise as she followed the figure. Seconds later there was a massive explosion above her as another figure raced in front of the blast and was overtaken by it. The added force of the explosion canceled out the little bit that Seripa had managed to slow her descent and she smashed into the street violently, cracks spreading out for yards from beneath her body. She lay there in a mixture of surprise and pain, her chest heaving as she sucked in breath after breath. What the hell just happened?

Suddenly Amotto landed beside her, her blue aura vanishing with a crack. The green-haired woman quickly pulled her to her feet and slinging her arm over her shoulder, they were ascending into the air before she knew it.

"Wow, I timed that just right. I didn't think Ryo had seen the blast, and apparently he hadn't," Amotto said with a certain measure of glee and relief apparent in her voice. She looked at the stunned woman in her grasp and she grinned. "Good to see you're still alive, by the way!"

Seripa shook her head and grinned. "It takes more than that to kill me, Amotto. What are you doing here, anyway?" she asked, her grin turning into a frown. "I told you and the others to get out of here. This is no place for any of you!"

"Calm down, Seripa. It's just me here. Broco and Turles are both onboard Tettuce's ship. Since there wasn't enough room aboard the ship that shuttled them up there, I stayed behind and wound up involved in this mess with Ryo—eh, I'll explain that later…if we survive." Amotto's gaze had locked on the smoke that had engulfed the massive Flazerian and her eyes narrowed. "Crap…he survived."

Seripa shook herself free from Amotto and she turned to stare in the same direction, but she was looking for Junior and Bardock.

Bardock suddenly shot out of the smoke backwards, and flared his ki to stop himself beside them. He was rubbing his neck and coughing as he stared back in the direction he'd flown from.

"Bardock!" Seripa grinned at him, but it faded when she saw that he didn't share her elation. "What's wrong?"

"Someone strong just showed up. Someone way stronger than Tettuce…" he glanced at her and blinked at the sight of Amotto. "You're a Saiyan…"

She smiled slightly. "Of course I am. And you're Bardock. It's an honor, sir." She inclined her head forward then returned her gaze to the smoke. "And that's Lord Ryo, Emperor of the Flazerian Empire. The strongest Flazerian in the universe," she added grimly.

At that moment the smoke that was obscuring their foe was suddenly completely swept away and Ryo came into view. He was holding the vainly struggling Junior by his neck and glaring heatedly at the boy. But when the Saiyans came into view, he leveled his silver-red gaze on Amotto.

"You tricked me, Woman. Thanks to you Berik has escaped my grasp…momentarily. When I finish you all off, then I will destroy this pathetic rock! It's worthless to my Empire, anyway." He chucked Junior away and the Saiyans watched him fall until he vanished into the dust and smoke that was now clouding up the city below them.

Seripa narrowed her violet gaze on Ryo. "There's more of us than there is of you. You think you can take us all?"

"Hm…good question." Ryo touched the side of his scouter and it came to life, beeping quietly as he looked the three of them over. "Under 4,000…and you ran away from me so well, too. I commend you. 50,000 even for the male…Over 60,000 for the female." Ryo's plated face split into an ugly, black-gummed, serrated-toothed grin. "Oh, I think I can handle the three of you. No…PROBLEM!" He flared his ki and the three Saiyans were thrown violently down into the ground from just the mere force.

Laughing, he flared his red aura to give chase, when suddenly he was slammed from behind by the prone form of Flazamyn. He spun through the air for a few moments before catching himself. He turned to glare up at the golden-haired Gylderian, Zether as Flazamyn dropped limply into the swirling dust below.

"Now, now, Ryo. No sense in messing around with small-fry. Not when you have me to contend with." Zether unfolded his arms and tore his cape from his shoulder guards, letting it slip between his fingers to the city below. He lifted both hands and widened his legs into a stance.

"And me."

Ryo glanced to his left to see Tettuce holding an unconscious Ginyu by what remained of his armor. He let the Ginyu Force leader go and he dropped like a rock down into the city. Ryo smirked at the Saiyan before looking back to Zether.

"You two are seriously out-classed. Do you really not know what my power reading is? Ah, of course. Neither of you have scouters!" The Flazerian laughed again and shook his head.

"_We_ don't need scouters," said Tettuce coldly, interrupting Ryo's peal of laughter. "We can sense your ki well enough and we both know that your level is far higher than ours." The Saiyan suddenly grinned maniacally and narrowed his blank eyes. "Nonetheless, we _will _tear you to pieces!"

Ryo arched a plated brow and chuckled quietly. "Saiyan, do you know how old I am? I am 340 years old," he continued without waiting for a response. "I have existed for that long by killing any and all who stand before me. You will be no different!" He sneered and smoothly shifted into an offensive stance. "You are messing with the big boys now, Tettuce! And you have sorely overstepped your bounds!"

"Quit talking and atta-" Zether was cut-off off mid-sentence as Ryo appeared in front of him in a powerful uppercut. His other hand lashed out and caught the Gylderian, his massive digits entirely enclosing his head in his grasp.

"This is the true power of Lord Ryo H'iojj!" He spun around and threw Zether like a ragdoll down in the city below, firing off a small orb of green ki after him. As Zether flew uncontrollably towards the ground, it flashed down toward him lightning-fast, reaching him just as the Gylderian's back struck the ground, slamming into his chest and as it exploded violently, it absorbed the young man, expanding up and out until it was several hundred yards across. Its green hue cast eerie shadows upon what remained of the city before it suddenly vanished leaving in its wake flying debris and massive amounts of dust and smoke blanketing the devastated city. Zether's survival was highly unlikely.

Tettuce stared on, wide-eyed. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised, but yet here it was. The attack had been so fast that by the time he registered anything had gone on, the explosion was already underway. That Ryo was a monster beyond him was very clear. Zether, a very skilled and powerful warrior, had just been taken down in an instant. The son of the very warrior who had helped push Tettuce beyond his limits, who had surpassed his father and secured his place as Tettuce's main rival, had been finished in an instant. It was almost mind-boggling to consider it, but the facts were plain as day before him. He couldn't detect a trace of…

His brow suddenly furrowed and he looked up; his eyes went wide again as soon as he did. Ryo, spotting this, followed his gaze. His own eyes widened suddenly.

"Impossible!"

But there, hovering high overhead with a smirk befitting his arrogance, was Zether. And to show for the attack all he had was dirt smudges covering his shining armor and face.

"Tettuce, when I'm done with Ryo, this will be for you!" A golden aura sprang to life around him and Tettuce knew instantly that Zether had indeed surpassed him. The power he could sense coming from the Gylderian was greater than his.

The Saiyan all-but forgot about Ryo as he regarded the young Gylderian above them. The man was too young to have out-paced him so easily, but it was clear that the impossible had occurred. Tettuce didn't know what it was about this man or his late father before him. Gylderians were strong in their own right, but the Zetra family had left such a gap in their powers compared to most of their race that was just baffling. Like Saiyans they had the innate ability to become more powerful upon recovering from life-threatening wounds. But unlike Saiyans, their power did not grow exponentially when they healed. And they did not share their thirst for battle. Except for Zether's father, Spark; he alone had shown the drive and thirst that was prized by Saiyans. And it was apparent that he had passed that thirst, that determination, on to his youngest son.

Tettuce smirked up at Zether. He was stronger than the Saiyan for now, but once this day was over he would definitely see to it that he surpassed the Gylderian once more. There could be only one monster, after all.

He suddenly looked past Zether to see a familiar black ship flying down to them. Ryo had spotted it, too; he snarled viciously and swung his arm around in an arc towards it. From that arc a streak of light flew and sliced clean through the ship and an instant later, it exploded in a blinding flash of light.

Zether's smirk vanished and he spun around to stare up at the point where he had last felt his brother's power in disbelief. His brother had just been killed. Ryo had just killed his brother. The look on his face was beyond anger as he rounded on Ryo, and his aura flashed and became black, his power sky-rocketing as he let out a howl of rage.

Tettuce felt the shockwave from the power increase and it knocked him back a few feet. His dark eyes appeared briefly in the sea of white as he stared on in disbelief at Zether, the true power of the beast awakened now. He had sensed before that it was powerful, but the depth to it was almost unbelievable. Ryo was strong in his own right, but if Tettuce wasn't mistaken (and he was sure he wasn't) then Zether might just have surpassed the Flazerian Emperor.

Ryo looked up at Zether and smiled. "Someone you knew?" His head suddenly recoiled back from Zether's lightning-quick punch, his eyes barely having time to widen in shock. Before he could recover, Zether had spun around and delivered a kick to his jaw that sent him flying sideways. The next thing he knew, there were two boots driving deep into his side and he was flying towards the ground.

Zether stared on coldly as his black aura raged around him. His golden hair and goatee were darkening to black as he held up both hands to aim at the falling Lord. His golden eyes brightened until they were blood-red and gleaming luminescent, all the while a ball of golden energy surrounded by crackling arcs of black electricity grew before his palms.

"Gylderian Golden Death Flash!" The ball was fired off and it shot down to slam into Ryo's retreating back.

The roar of the explosion was deafening; Tettuce shielded himself from the destructive force the best he could, while the winds tore at him and slammed him forcing him to shut his eyes against the blinding light and flying debris, and threatening to tear him from the sky. Zether had _far _surpassed him in strength and power.

"I have a monster of my own, Tettuce!" Zether growled savagely, his red eyes shining in the Saiyan's direction. "This is the power I gained during my Writ of Passage. This is the power that my ancient ancestors wielded many thousands of years ago. And I am determined to show that we Gylderians are the greatest in the entire universe!" He started laughing, his pitch cold and savage. "I was the first Gylderian in nearly ten thousand years to completely endure the Writ of Passage. Not even my father could do it."

Tettuce stared at the young man intently. He had a greater amount of pride than he'd ever shown before.

"But I did! Me! Zether Zetra! I was the first to finally achieve this great power." He drifted around in mid-air to regard Ryo as he suddenly reappeared, his black and silver armor cracked and with pieces drifting away in the wind; his cape was tattered and torn, barely half of it still clinging to his shoulder-guards. "And I'm about to use it to kick your ass for what you did to my brother!" he spat vehemently at the Flazerian.

"You show such pride, Gylderian."

Zether, Ryo, and Tettuce turned to regard a battered and bleeding Ginyu grinning slyly at them. Flanking him were Burter and Junior, both looking as if they'd seen better days.

Ginyu coughed and spit up some blood, practically vomiting it into the city. He turned his red eyes on Zether and stared at him intensely. "Too bad you pride yourself on being a member of an extinct race."

"What are you talking about?" Zether asked hotly, not at all enjoying the interruption.

"I'm talking about Lord Frieza and your unprotected planet; what with you and Tettuce both being off-world and all…I can guarantee that by now, Planet Gylder is nothing more than flecks of dust in blackness! And it has been that way for several days!" He started to laugh then, Burter and Junior glancing at him uneasily.

"What did you just say?" Tettuce demanded, unconsciously drifting towards the purple warrior. Surely it couldn't be true? Would Frieza really dare…? Did he even have to ask, was his own immediate answer. Of course he would! He had already destroyed Planet Vegeta for twisted reasons; first Lord Vogan and now his people. And what reason would Ginyu have to lie about that?

"You'll have to speak up, Tettuce. My hearing ain't quite what it used to be," Ginyu taunted.

"You heard me," snarled Tettuce.

"No, actually," Junior spoke up. "He really ca-,"

"You lie!" Zether snapped up at the elder Ginyu, interrupting the younger. His eyes seemed to glow brighter as he glared at the members of the Ginyu Force in turn.

"Unfortunately for you, I am not lying," crowed the Major.

"Grrr! DAMN YOU!" Tettuce yelled at the top of his lungs as he thrust his hand forward, firing off a blast that slammed into the center of Ginyu's chest and burst instantly out of his back, immediately dropping him out of the sky.

"Father!" cried Junior in dismay as he dove after the free-falling figure.

Tettuce glared down after the figure, his onyx eyes burning with hatred for Ginyu; his son; the ugly blue alien, Burter; Frieza, his brother Coola; even their father King Cold. The entire Cold Regime was to blame for what had occurred. That fact gnawed at him as his rage burned inside his chest, his teeth grinding together in agitation. His fists twitched spasmodically at his sides, almost as if he were struggling against himself. And he really was. He had arrived on Jynn-jin 13 angry with the Jynn-jins and the Flazerians; adding to that the anger that was overcoming him, and he could feel his mind slipping.

His anger was rising higher and higher and it was threatening to consume him. He had learned years ago to control his anger so that it would never completely take him over. If it ever did, the results were usually catastrophic. He never really understood why it was so, but too many times he had harmed allies in his blind rages and right now he had to keep himself from letting the true monster free. But he could feel it surging upwards now and it was billowing up uncontrollably. Gold sparks danced all around his body and his vision was reddening. Frieza and Ginyu! They had pushed him too far! Too far!

Like a snap going off inside his head, Tettuce lost himself as a golden aura surged to life around his body and his black hair was swept straight up from the force, his thick locks stretched to their ends from the force of his rising power. The force cleared a hole through both the gathering clouds above and the dust below him as he threw his head back and let out a feral cry of pure fury. Zether, Burter, and even Ryo were swept away from him by the violence that he was emanating.

Down in the city below, Bardock pulled his self from a pile of rubble and looked sharply up into the sky, his eyes wide. "I-it's true…" he muttered in disbelief as he stared up at his mentor and teacher. "G-gold aura and everythin'…" Years before he had heard rumors that in the rare occasions that Tettuce ever _truly_ lost his temper, then his power would sky-rocket outrageously and he would become awash with gold flames. Accompanying those rumors were the numerous nicknames that Tettuce had been called throughout his life. And it was those names that were flashing through Bardock's mind as he gaped at Tettuce.

He was not undeserving of those names for a reason; Tettuce became a literal, uncontrollable, monster when he was pissed. Bardock had never seen his mentor fly into a rage like this and he had never wanted to because he had seen the after-effects in records. Those records had been why even King Vegeta had feared for his life when dealing with Tettuce.

Seripa staggered up beside him, breathing heavily. "What the hell…?" She frowned up at Tettuce and cast Bardock a curious glance. "What's going on?"

His thick brows came together sharply and his black eyes hardened instantly. "We just lost Tettuce."

_**DBZ**_

__Major Ginyu laughed weakly, purple blood gurgling over his lips as his son cradled him in his lap.

"F-father, no! Save your strength!" Junior said desperately, his voice rising in his concern. "You can pull through!"

But Ginyu seemed to ignore him, rasping out hoarsely, "A-and I didn't e-even tell th-them the b-best part: L-lord Frieza is c-coming!" He laughed again until his body was suddenly racked with a fit of violent coughing.

Burter touched down silently beside the two Ginyu's, his gleaming red eyes locked on his dying Major.

Junior closed his eyes. "Father, please." They opened and he stared pleadingly at his father. "Don't say anymore!"

Ginyu finally regarded his son, his red eyes growing duller by the second. He smiled slightly and chuckled. "My son…I h-have one…last order…f-for you. My f-final w-wish."

"Anything, Father. What is it? What can I do for you?" responded Junior eagerly. He knew his father was going to die. Carrying out his final wish was the least he could do.

An evil grin split Ginyu's blood-smeared lips and in a hissing whisper, he uttered, "_Change!"_

_**DBZ**_

___(I know I will have some questions, so to head those off: no, Tettuce is not becoming a Super Saiyan. In the movie, Lord Slug, Goku briefly attains a semi-state that increases his power and is similar to Super Saiyan. In the movie it's seemed to be suggested that he cannot hold it for long as it does not last. Anyway, that scene in the movie was partly my inspiration for Tettuce and I had always intended for him to be capable of flying into berserker rages. I certainly hope you continue to read and review as there's still more to come and things are just getting heated!)_


	15. Monster: Part III

_**Chapter Fifteen: Monster (Part III)**_

"_It's hiding in the dark  
__Its teeth are razor sharp  
__There's no escape for me  
__It wants my soul  
__It wants my heart  
__No one can hear me scream  
__Maybe it's just a dream  
__Maybe it's inside of me, stop this monster!"  
__** Monster-Skillet**_

_**DBZ**_

_**Fifty-three years ago…**_

Three cloaked figures moved silently through a quiet, rubble-strewn street. Amidst that rubble laid the lifeless bodies of men, women, and children. Also scattered here and there were the remains of invading aliens; aliens wearing the armor and signet of the Ice-jin Empire. The three figures were Saiyans, as well as the majority of the lifeless people around them.

One of the figures, the shortest of the three, lowered his hood. He was a young scar-faced man with cold, black eyes and a hairless head. He looked around in disgust. "Not's a single surviv'r. Them damned Ice-jinns beat us ag'in. Soon as we's find's 'em, they kill's 'em."

"What else would you expect, Turpin?" responded one of his comrades as he lowered his hood as well. He was a tall male with a mohawk of black hair that extended down his back into the depths of his cloak. His eyes were a dark green. "The Ice-jinns do not want our race to see its true potential realized again. They have all but wiped out any traces of our true origins into this galaxy. These small pockets of survivors," he gestured around at the corpses, "are becoming fewer and fewer. This group may even have been the very last of what remains of the true glory of the Saiyans."

The third figure lowered its hood, revealing the youthful features of a stern-eyed woman. Her eyes were magenta and she had short hair that spiked up in random directions on the top of her head. She cast a glare at the second man. "I sure as hell hope not. If that fool Vegeta's bunch is the true last of the Saiyans, then our race is doomed. Frieza has an iron-clasp hold on them these days."

Turpin folded his arms across his chest and snorted. "Yeh, more o' less. Veggie thinks ol' thunda lizard's gonna throw's 'im a bone. Speakin' o Vegeta," he glanced to the woman. "Try 'n keep this from 'im, hm? We all know's ya resen' 'im 'n ev'rythin'. But if he fin's out, Frieza fin's out there're still some o' us Clerics o' the Ol' World alive."

The woman scrunched up her nose and glared at Turpin as she hissed, "Can't you even enunciate when referring to our holy title?"

"Wha's the diff'rence? There's only ya, me, and Ka'biij left anyhow."

She scowled at him in silence for several moments before finally asking, "So what now? This lot is dead and gone, that's plain to see."

"No, Seluri," murmured the other man, Ka'biij. He was kneeling beside one of Frieza's deceased footmen. "Take a closer look. These corpses are fresh. We have arrived soon enough that there may still be some survivors."

"Guess again."

The three Clerics spun around, each dropping into different stances. But they immediately relaxed when they saw a young kid, looking just shy of his teenage years. He had thick shaggy hair hanging all around his face and over his shoulders. Several thick bangs were shadowing his eyes as he approached them, dragging the limp form of a young boy, looking about three or four years old, by the tail. Both were wearing rags and were covered in blood and filth. The teenager was staggering as he closed the distance between them.

"No survivors here. All d-dead," breathed the boy as he sank to his knees before them. He kept his eyes downcast, his hair hiding them from view. He suddenly tossed the young boy at their feet. "P-please, I can't do it," he said pleadingly. "Kill that…that…_thing…_I don't have the strength…and I don't…have the heart. I can't kill kin. I can't kill him…I c-can't k-kill my bro…brother…But…it has t-to d-die…" he finished quietly.

Seluri frowned as she stepped over the prone form of the young boy. She knelt before the older boy and reaching out a hand, she gently tilted the boy's chin up until she could see his eyes. She started visibly, her mouth dropping open in surprise as she saw the empty sockets gaping at her, blood and gore still trickling down his cheeks.

The boy smiled grimly. "Think that's bad?" He weakly grabbed her hand and moved it to his stomach. She nearly jerked her arm back when she felt a soggy nothingness beneath his ragged clothes. "Tettuce did this. He did all this." He lifted his free hand and gestured around vaguely. "When those…those bastards arrived and killed our parents, Tettuce lost it. I-I've never seen anything like it." His voice wavered in growing weakness, his sentence ending almost in a mumble.

Turpin looked down at the boy lying at his feet and frowned.

"I remember…I remember a golden light. And rage. Tettuce, he wasn't himself when it happened. He…became something else. A monster…It killed everyone, invaders and our people alike." The boy released Seluri's hand and let both of his fall to the ground, his head slumping forward suddenly. "He…it…carried…death…" He swayed and then fell over onto his side and didn't move.

Ka'biij looked dubiously down at the young boy. "How old is he? Three? Four? There is no way it is possible."

" 'Less he 'as the blood, o' course," mumbled Turpin as he stroked his stubbly chin.

"That's virtual heresy, Turpin. We three are the last!" said Seluri vehemently as she stood and turned her back on the dead teenager.

"We's are now," said Turpin gruffly. "Me brother surviv'd th' migration from th' South Galaxy. An' there's a good chance these boys 're his sons. I ain't seen 'im in 'bout forty o' fifty years. Good chance he's produc'd offsprin'. Hell, in tha' time, these mey'be his gran'kids fer all's I know." He grinned and glanced at his fellow Clerics. "I ain't gonna kill th' boy. I'd rather train 'im."

Ka'biij glanced around at the ruins of the city. Desolation surrounded them, the barely standing ruins of what had been a city casting stark shadows in the light of the half moon above them. "If he is responsible, he did not do this with a full moon." He nodded at the glowing half-orb overhead. "Maybe he does have the blood. His brother mentioned a golden light."

Seluri frowned. "But to think that he could possibly be a Super Saiyan, when not one of us has yet breached that wall? It's truly maddening."

"Na', I don' think he 'as. Mey'be tapped the res'rves a bit, I wager." He stroked his chin again as he regarded the boy.

Seluri moved closer to Tettuce until the three of them were standing in a loose ring around the boy. "It can't be possible, though. What if he's not your brother's kin?"

"Then's th' boy 'as serious p'tential. He migh' ev'n 'ave what it takes t' beat's Frieza."

"Bull shit," growled the female Saiyan. "Only Clerics have the capability to do so. You mastered the ancient scrolls as well as I, if not better. You should know that only we that have undergone the ancient training can possibly face an Ice-jinn." She cast her stern eyes down to the unconscious boy at their feet. "And besides, if what the other boy says is true, then we have nothing more than a potential threat on our hands."

"Oi, can it, will ya, Seluri?" Turpin twisted one finger in his ear in annoyance. "Yer harpin's gettin' on my nerves. List'n," he continued when he noticed Seruli getting flustered. "Tha' anci'nt trainin' wa'n't nothin' more 'n heavy trainin'. I c'n put th' boy through's tha' meself. An' I c'n get 'is ang'r un'er control. If'n it bothers ya tha' much, I will take full re-spon-si-bi-li-ty." He flashed a wide grin and winked at her.

A pink hue spread across her cheeks and she glared at him. "Don't you dare!"

"No, I think Turpin has a point," Ka'bijj said then with an amused smirk towards her, which only caused the blush to spread further. "If the boy does turn out to be a threat, the three of us still remain. Regardless of his strength, if we cannot handle him then we do not deserve to be called Clerics."

"Yeh, an' if it'll make ya feel's bett'r, how's about's we make 'im a Cleric, too?" Turpin stooped and grabbed the boy up and slung him across his shoulder.

"Are you crazy?" Seluri all-but shrieked.

"Yeh, mos' days," he grinned.

"Will you be serious for once, Turpin? He can't be a Cleric! The scrolls no longer exist. The training grounds are gone. And not a one of us is ordained to administer the rites!"

"There are three Clerics of the Old World in the entire universe, Seluri," said Ka'biij. "You are right that the three of us are not ordained, but that does not matter anymore. The Clerics of the Old World are dead," he paused and turned to face her with a slight smile. "Maybe it is time that we rebuild the Clerics…Clerics of the New Age, hm?"

"Ka'bijj, are you serious?" Seluri stared at him wide-eyed, her mouth gaping open. "This whole idea was crazy from the start! Now you are taken in by Turpin!"

"I am not taken in by anything, Seluri," Ka'bijj said sharply. "The Saiyans are a dying race as it is, and there are only three Clerics left. Three. Do you understand what that number means?"

"Don't you patronize me! I understand that we are the last! I want to rebuild the Clerics, too, but we need to do it right! We can't just take in anybody we come across. We have to know that they'll be able to handle it! That they'll be true Clerics!" Seluri stepped back and looked between the two of them. "If that kid really did all of this," she spread her arms out to indicate the missing buildings and dead bodies, "then he is the exact thing we _don't_ want!"

Turpin narrowed his eyes at her, "Pickin's is slim, Seluri. Th' true Saiyans're dyin' out, so's it's not like we's 'ave much choice. I un'erstan' whad ya sayin', I really do. Bu' begga's can' be chooses, and like it o' not, bu' we's are begga's. This boy may 'ave wha' it takes, an' I'm willin' t' take a chance."

"I want no part, then." She glanced between the two of them slowly. "We took oaths never to take the unworthy or _insane_. This kid is insane _and _unworthy…and so is this idea. I can't take part in it; it goes against everything the Clerics stand for. This will come back to haunt you, Turpin."

"Na, I doubt's it. Like Ka'bijj says, we's are more'n strong enuff t' han'le th' boy. Come on, cool it, Sel. Ya're blowin' this outta pro-por-tion."

"No, I'm not. Turpin, this is going against our oaths! We vowed to keep the blood between only those of the blood! We can't alter it in anyway."

"You are upholding out-dated and ancient oaths, Sel," Ka'bijj said with a sigh. "Ever since we came to this galaxy, those few thousand that were leftover from the war with the Ice-jinns, our numbers have been dropping off drastically. Nearly a hundred years ago we were a strong and glorious race, capable of sticking to our ancient traditions. But now there are but three that remain of that race. Our pride in bettering ourselves replaced with a thirst to kill, thanks to the Ice-jinn's, and Vegeta's wayward ways." He stepped forward and rested his hand on her shoulder with a smile. "We have no choice but to go through with this. Tettuce will not be the last that we recruit. If we have any chance of facing the Ice-jinns now, then this boy will be our future."

Seluri brushed his hand off, looked down and didn't say anything at first. She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head before saying, "No. This will not be my future. This is a bad idea and I can't bring myself to go along with it. If you two are really serious about this, then I am done. I renounce my title."

"Ya can' be serious, girl," said Turpin with a frown.

"If you are, then I am, too," she said, looking back up at them.

Turpin and Ka'bijj exchanged glances. They nodded to each other and glanced back to Seluri, who nodded, as well.

"I see." She sighed, looking down again. After a moment she took a breath and looked back up at them. "We go our separate ways, then. Good luck."

"No, Seluri, wait!" But as Ka'bijj reached towards her, she turned and blasted away in an explosion of red, vanishing into the sky in an instant.

Turpin stared up at her for a few moments before scoffing. "Good rid'ance."

Ka'bijj rounded on Turpin angrily, "What the hell are you saying? Seluri just renounced her title as a Cleric!"

"So's? Ya sed it yer self: th' Clerics o' th' Ol' World are dead. We's shou'd do th' same, shou'dn't we's? B'come, Clerics o' th' New Age."

The other man looked silently at the boy resting across Turpin's shoulder. "You are right. But…" He fell silent and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them again and looked up at his comrade. "Will it be worth it?"

"S'gonna 'ave t' be, Ka'bijj. Like ya's sed, we's ain't got's much choice."

_**DBZ**_

_**Fifteen years later…**_

Turpin, sporting black and gray Ice-jinn armor, hovered stoically over a city wrought with rumbles and scattered explosions. His head turned slowly this way and that, his black eyes searching amidst the chaos below him from behind a scouter with a red eyepiece.

"Gah, whar's tha' boy run off t'?" he muttered under his breath. "Did 'e fo'get why we's came 'ere?" His scouter beeped and he idly pressed the receiver button. "Whaddya wan'?"

_"Turpin, King Vegeta orders you to return to _Planet Vegeta _immediately," _responded a particularly angry voice.

"No c'n do, Nappa. Tell's 'im I's a lil' busy a' th' mom'nt."

_"King Vegeta does not care what you have to say! You and your team are to return to _Planet Vegeta _without further dis…uh…diso…dis-"_

"Dis-o-bed-i-ence?" asked Turpin as he arched a hairless brow, while at the same time scratching his stubbly chin.

_"Yeah, that's the word. Return now!"_

"Shut it, Nappa. Whar ya git off thinkin' ya c'n talk t' me tha' way?"

_"You are a lower-class Saiyan, and I am elite. You are scum beneath my boots, Turpin."_

Turpin suddenly threw his head back and burst out laughing. "Me? Scum 'neath yer boots? Nappa, yer th' scum." He laughed again. "Then agin, ya prolly wou'dn' know's true scum, wou'd ya? Scum neva knows it-self."

_"Turpin! You will pay for your ins…uh…damn it." _Nappa finished feebly, unable to remember the right word.

Turpin laughed again. "Fer wha' now? Me insults or me in-so-lence?"

_"Why aren't you back anyway?" _Nappa changed the subject, but his irritation was still apparent in his tone.

"Got's some unfin'shed bizness. Tettuce is a bi' busy a' th' mom'nt, so's we'll be a bi' late. Th' rest o' th' team's on th' way." He looked down and suddenly grinned. "I'll talk back lat'r." He killed the connection before Nappa could respond and dropped down into the city, landing in front of a teenaged Saiyan wearing similar armor.

"Turpin!" The boy frowned and scowled at the shorter man. "What do you want?"

"We's done 'ere, Tettuce. Frieza's men're done." Turpin folded his arms across his chest.

"No! I will never be done! There're still more of them to kill!" Tettuce growled back in response, his black eyes gleaming in the fading light.

Turpin frowned and slowly unfolded his arms. "No, we's done Tettuce. We's done wha' we's come 'ere t' do. We's can' keep doin' this. We's draw's enuff 'ttention t' ourselfs as it is."

Tettuce grinned and narrowed his eyes. "You think you can stop me?" He suddenly lunged into the sky, and blasted away.

Turpin stared after him with an arched brow before sighing and shaking his head. He sprang into the air and came to a stop directly in front of the retreating boy, bringing him to an abrupt stop.

"I c'n stop ya, boy. So's don' try meh. An' wipe tha' stun'd look offa yer face. I's tol' ya b'fore tha' I'm way's stronga than ya. Now git t' yer pod!" he said as he extended his hand toward the horizon and pointed at several distant craters.

Tettuce looked in the direction he was pointing for several long seconds, before turning to regard the older Saiyan. "No, I don't think I will."

"It's a'ways th' same wit' ya boy! Why can's ya git yer act t'getha? I's tirin' o' tellin' ya's all th' time. This is gettin' t' be an all th' time thin'." Turpin took a breath and leveled his eyes on Tettuce in a chilling glare. "I's won' says it a'gin."

"Good, 'cause I still ain't goin'!"

Turpin brought his hand around and backhanded Tettuce; blood flew through the air.

Tettuce stuck his hand against the bleeding wound on the side of his face and turned his dark eyes on Turpin angrily. "Look what you've done!"

"I's know wha' I's did. Drop yer at-ti-tude, and lis'en t' wha' I say! We's 'ere fer yer trainin', no' fer yer t' kill!" Turpin yelled back, veins popping up in his temples and his neck.

The boy lowered his hand from the new gash in his cheek and shook his head firmly. "I am tired of you always telling me what to do. I'm tired of you always giving me orders and treating me like I'm your son! My parents are dead and I don't need you tryin' to take their place! So leave me alone!" A red aura burst to life around his body and an explosive force rushed out from him, slamming into Turpin's chest hard enough to send him flying backwards a few yards.

"Ah, not's this shit a'gin, boy. Goin' full pow'r 'gain't me is askin' fer trouble!"

"SHUT UP!"

Turpin jerked in surprise when Tettuce yelled at him. He stared at the blank eyes that Tettuce was glaring at him with. He frowned, confusion marring his scarred features. "Wha's this now?"

At that moment the red became gold and Tettuce vanished in a blinding eruption of light. Turpin brought his left hand up to shield his eyes, but immediately regretted it. He opened his mouth and let out a howl of pain as searing heat washed over his hand and up his arm. He flared his ki and shot backwards, clutching his arm to his chest. He tore his gaze from the gold-enshrouded Tettuce and looked at his hand; his eyes went wide and his mouth fell open in shock. The skin of his hand was still bubbling and dripping from his now mangled hand and his fingers had already fused together in a grotesque fist of still hissing flesh. It had happened so fast, he had had no time to prevent it.

And Tettuce had done it with just a surge of power. He looked back at the boy still glaring across the sky at him, but he saw no recognition in the teenager's eyes.

There was a sudden flash and pain shot through Turpin's right eye and he felt hot liquid splatter all across his face as he immediately lost vision in that eye. Before he could cry out, however, he was already plummeting to the ground from a strike he never saw. He landed in the middle of the street, cratering the concrete from the impact. His vision swam as he struggled to keep his good eye open…

A shadow dropped from the sky and landed beside him, an instant before he slipped into darkness.

_**DBZ**_

_**Present day**_

"Zarbon, calling the Ginyu Force. Ginyu, do you copy? This is Zarbon…Major Ginyu, do you copy? This is Zarbon, calling the Ginyu Force on behalf of Lord Frieza. If anyone reads me, respond." Zarbon fell silent and frowned as he stared down at the console before him. It wasn't like the Ginyu Force to not respond to a hailing call. Frieza always wanted status updates and the Ginyu Force had failed to relay any information since they'd landed on Jynn-jin 13. What could be happening on that miserable mud-ball to so occupy all four members of the Ginyu Force that none of them could respond?

"What is the delay, Zarbon?" came Frieza's cold voice from where he sat in his hovering chair behind the green alien.

Zarbon jerked upright and stammered quickly, "I-I am not sure, Sire. I c-cannot reach them for some reason."

Dodoria snorted and folded his arms across his chest. "It's most likely because those fools are too preoccupied with tormenting those Jynn-jin weaklings."

"No, that's not it," Frieza said softly, his brow furrowing as he stared, seemingly absently, out of the front viewscreen into the black abyss of space.

"What else could it be, Lord Frieza?" asked Dodoria with a frown.

"I imagine they must have met with resistance." The tyrant smiled dryly and cocked his head at his fat underling. "Ginyu never fails to report in on time. I imagine that he is dead by now if this Flazamyn is as strong as they say."

"You think maybe Tettuce has something to do with this?" asked Zarbon as he turned to regard Frieza.

"Tettuce is a Saiyan, Zarbon. No Saiyan is strong enough to face Major Ginyu," Frieza smiled thinly. "No, this Flazerian, Flazamyn, must have been stronger than we anticipated."

"Sire, I thi-" Zarbon cut himself off when Frieza gave him a warning glare. He couldn't keep his thoughts from straying to that one possibility. He thought that Tettuce was strong enough to kill Ginyu. Twenty years ago he had been abnormally strong for a Saiyan, so who was to say that all these years later he wasn't even more abnormally powerful? Zarbon wasn't one to give Saiyans any kind of credit, but he had seen the aftermath of one of Tettuce's subjugations. He remembered that the planet involved had been utterly devastated and not a single survivor had been counted. Tettuce had wiped it clean of life by himself, without even using the power of the full moon. He had even reshaped the face of the planet as a bonus for the new owners, so that their new planet would look the part.

Zarbon repressed a shudder and looked back down to the console before him. Tettuce had wrought damage upon that world that all other Saiyans could barely achieve by transforming into those giant monkey forms of theirs. The worst part of it, though, was that Tettuce had had no recollection of doing any of it. It seemed that once he flew into one of his insane rages that he lost all sense and reason.

"Lord Frieza!" Zarbon snapped out of his reverie and glanced at the helmsman; he was an ugly blue alien with a large, elongated head.

"What is it, Appule?" demanded the diminutive emperor.

"We are coming upon our destination. We will be arriving at Jynn-jin 13 in less than ten minutes."

Zarbon looked at Frieza just as a cold smile split the ruler's lips.

"Good. We shall soon solve the mystery of Ginyu's continued silence."

Zarbon frowned and looked at the viewscreen just as the ship was approaching a large green and red planet. No matter what Frieza said, he felt that if Tettuce was on that planet then he did not want to be. The Ginyu Force was no more; of that much he could be certain.

_**DBZ**_

Seripa stared up at Tettuce with a slightly arched eyebrow. From what she could tell, Tettuce had just changed the color of his aura. Because for the last ten minutes (in which time, Ryo and Zether had reappeared and remained silent, oddly) Tettuce had just been hovering over them with his aura billowing around his body like living flames, regarding them all and seeming completely calm.

Beside her Bardock was trying to keep his cool, but she could tell he was nervous as hell for some reason. She'd wanted to ask him about it for a while, but she wasn't sure if he was willing to divulge information. He'd been silent ever since he'd first declared Tettuce lost to them, and she wondered what he had meant.

She frowned and glanced at her mate for a moment. Bardock always had declared himself fearless, but he was definitely scared right now. And the person he was scared of was Tettuce. Tettuce the Insane…The Harbinger of Doom. The dawning of realization settled about her and she jerked her attention back to Tettuce just as the most maniacal, sadistically gleeful, grin split his lips.

"Oh, shit…"

He vanished in an instant, and in that same instant Ryo's head snapped sideways and he was flying away and out of visible sight. An instant later Zether was flying in the opposite direction, and Seripa was struggling to locate Tettuce's position. She blinked in sudden surprise as her eyes finally caught up to him in time to see him appear before Bardock and drive his knee violently into his nose, sending him sailing upwards just as violently as he'd sent Zether and Ryo flying. Then he was on top of her, driving his elbow into her exposed gut, sending her flying backwards and through dozens of piles of rubble leftover from the destroyed city. And all she could think about was how it had all happened in the blink of an eye.

When she was able to think about her situation once more, tearing her mind from that terrifying thought, she realized that she was lying on top of a crumpled mass of metal that she was sure had been a vehicle just moments before. She pulled herself, groaning the entire time as her body protested the movement, to her feet and staggered a few steps before she caught her balance. She lifted her head wearily and using only her eyes (because her neck hurt too much to turn) she looked for Tettuce first and foremost.

He appeared right in front of her, still grinning. "So, you're the first to stand back up. I knew I took it too easy on you 'cause you're a woman." He sprang forward and slammed his forehead against hers and she was flying backwards again, her vision blackened and her head swimming from the pain.

A few minutes later she came to her senses again and she found herself lying on her back in a debris-strewn street staring up at a darkening sky through a haze of red. Wondering what had just happened, she levered herself into a sitting position and saw Tettuce enshrouded in gold high above her, with a large Flazerian and a black haired man trying to get a hit in on him. She frowned and it all came flooding back to her as a wave of crushing nausea.

"S-seripa!" She looked up as Bardock stumbled up to her, sinking heavily to his knees at her side. "Good, you're alive," he breathed weakly.

"He hit me twice," was her groaned response. "Why did he hit me twice?" she asked, weakly lifting her head to stare at Bardock in barely concealed fear.

Bardock grimaced. "He doesn't know us right now. I've never seen him like this, but this is what gave him his nicknames. Tettuce is literally insane, and for some reason he's lost his temper. He'll kill anyone he sees, friend or foe. It don't matter to him."

"What is he?" Seripa asked as she struggled to rise to her feet, her head swimming and pain coursing through her stomach, giving rise to an urge to throw up her intestines. She gagged and her body trembled with violent quakes.

Bardock stood with equal difficulty and tried to steady her. "I don't know," he admitted. "But right now he's deranged."

"Now, that's not nice."

They both spun, adrenaline flooding their veins, to see Tettuce standing behind them.

He grinned between them, his blank eyes settling uncomfortably on them in turn. "And I'm not deranged, thank you very much. I'm a Super Saiyan!" He lunged forward and struck them simultaneously, sending them both sailing in opposite directions.

Seripa crashed down to the ground and skid through and tumbled over piles of debris littering the ground. She finally came to a splashing stop in a pothole of muddy water, her chest heaving painfully as she struggled to maintain consciousness. Each time he struck her, it was like she'd been hit by a comet. Each hit took everything out of her, leaving her battered and helpless.

"Spirit Burn! Multiple Thrice!" She turned her head to Bardock just as his body was awash with burning blue flames and he was launching himself at Tettuce.

She watched as he delivered lightning quick punches and kicks, only to be swatted aside an instant later. But as she watched him flying away an idea began to form in her head and she wondered if the nanites in her body were still functional? Even if all of them weren't, so long as the repair-bots were working then her idea had a chance of working. Maybe. It was a risky idea, but she was the only one that could pull it off. And that was only if she could manage a Spirit Burn; she'd tried to learn it from Bardock, but it was a difficult one to control. Not even Bardock had mastered it.

She climbed wearily to her feet, perspiration dripping down her brow from the effort. As she drew in several heavy breaths she watched Zether zoom from out of nowhere to strike Tettuce with shockwave-inducing force, but with no effect. As Ryo came in for his own assault, she began to focus on her ki. She channeled what remained through her body, the flood of energy helping to ease her aches and pains.

Setting her eyes on Tettuce, they narrowed as red sparks began to burst around her body. She didn't have much time and she knew it. She focused her mind on the Spirit Burn technique, trying to recall the right way to initiate it. _If this works, _she thought glumly, _it'll be the first time it ever did._

Calming her mind and taking a breath, she suddenly bellowed, "SPIRIT BURN!"

"What?" She heard Bardock's concerned tone, but she was already set on doing this.

"Multiple…" _Huh, how do I multiply it by ten? Oh, to hell with it_. "Multiplied by TEN-!"

"Seripa, no! That's too high!"

"EEEEYYAAAGGGHHHH!"

But it was already too late. Red flames exploded around her body and her power began to sky-rocket. But the pain that accompanied it overwhelmed her, and her whole plan was scrapped as she screamed at the top of her lungs, far too much power flooding through her body. Her tiny muscles bulged and constricted violently, seeming ready to rend her flesh from her tiny body. Her hair was standing on end from the force of the rising energy that was steadily being emanated from her small frame. Her arms and legs felt like they were on fire, but through it all…she also felt something else. Something too tiny to give a name to, but she could feel it slowly rising through the pain. It wouldn't overcome the pain, she knew that, but she felt a sudden surge in her power and she knew what was happening: the Spirit Burn was tearing her body to shreds, and the nanites were working to repair the damage. Her plan was working!

Her power-up was nowhere near complete when Tettuce appeared in front of her, his head slightly cocked as he stared at her with his empty eyes.

"Oh, shit!" was all she had time to utter before he soundly punched her with enough force to send her crashing backwards through what seemed like miles of piled up debris and a few random half-buildings that had somehow survived up to this point.

When she finally came to a rolling stop in the center of a street, her armor was barely clinging to her body and the underarmor was all-but gone, replaced by torn and bloodied flesh. Blood covered her dirty face and her ki was all but completely spent. She remained where she lay, her eyes closed in weak resignation as she barely clung to consciousness. She knew she was beaten. There was no way she could stand against Tettuce like this. She had just damaged her body using a risky technique capable of multiplying a user's strength drastically, and Tettuce had batted her away like an annoying insect before she could finish, in the process dealing more damage to her than she was capable of dealing to him with ten hits.

"Seripa?" came a sudden, concerned voice from above her.

She opened her eyes halfway and forced a smile at Amotto. "I-I'm a-alive." Her voice trembled with the effort and she chided herself for showing such weakness.

"Gods, barely," Amotto responded quietly, her eyes wide as she looked over her friend's injuries. "Gods…gods, you're bleeding everywhere."

"Wh-what are y-you s-saying?" Seripa frowned and struggled to look down at her body, but she was too weak to do even that.

Amotto gently lifted her body up, and Seripa let out an involuntary cry as she felt something tear and pull out of her back. She watched in surprise as the green-haired woman tossed a sharp, blood-covered rock away. That had been inside her? Gods, she must be bleeding to death.

"I-I w-won't die, A-amotto. I refuse," Seripa closed her eyes and focused her mind on her ki…but she felt nothing. She furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to call up any bit of it at all. All she needed was a little to stand. Just a little…Warmth spread throughout her body and she felt her fatigue slowly fade. She took a breath and, opening her eyes, struggled to her feet. She staggered sideways, but Amotto caught and steadied her.

"Where's Bardock?" asked Amotto as she looked up at Tettuce warily. From the fact that she was still standing easily, he had not yet gone after her.

"I d-don't know," Seripa stammered. She was weaker than she'd been in a long time and it was because of someone who should have been an ally. Moreover her plan had failed and she barely had the strength left to stand, let alone try it again. She was certain that most of her ribs were broken, and her body felt utterly ravaged from the tumble she'd just taken. Even if she wanted to anymore, she couldn't fight.

Beside her, Amotto gave her a worried glance. She was obviously worried that Bardock was already dead, but for Seripa's sake. She smiled to her friend, thankful that she still had one. Tettuce was out to kill, as her current condition clearly stated.

"Amotto, y-you n-need to g-get out-ta h-here," Seripa slipped from her grasp and sank to her knees, her head hanging wearily. She could no longer stand.

"No, I'm not leaving you," she said as she dropped to her side. "I can't."

Seripa laughed. "No, g-go get A-aurah. I'd g-go…but I can't…stand." She smiled slightly at her. "I'll be fine. We need her help, so go get her."

Amotto was clearly reluctant, as she stayed kneeling beside Seripa. "If he hits you again, he'll kill you! I can try and defend-"

"Gods-damn it, Amotto!" Seripa snapped. She glared and focused all of her ki into being angry, as it seemed to be giving her more strength. Enough for her to handle Amotto, anyway. "You can't defend against him! You see what he did to me? You think your measly power reading of 4,000 is going to help you against the Hand of Fate? The Harbinger of Doom?" Seripa barely could keep from grinning when she saw the fear in her friend's eyes. "Tettuce the Insane is your opponent. Now go get Aurah!" She sat back heavily, her chest heaving as she gasped for air.

Amotto stared down at her with just another moment's hesitation, before she nodded silently and then turned to run away.

Seripa smiled weakly as she watched her run, keeping low cover so that Tettuce wouldn't spot her escape. Maybe Aurah really could help against Tettuce; at least _she _might be able to calm him down, anyway.

She turned her gaze from Amotto to look for Bardock, briefly surprised that Tettuce had not come to attack her again. She found Bardock struggling to his feet about a hundred yards away and she let out a breath she did not know she had been holding. He looked in her direction for a moment before looking up to where Tettuce was still hovering. She followed his gaze to see Ryo flitting all around Tettuce, his fists and feet blurs as he delivered rapid-fire attacks to him that didn't seem to be fazing him in the least.

"Lord Ryo!" Flazamyn launched himself, seemingly from nowhere, up towards the Saiyan.

Tettuce knocked Ryo away and turned his blank gaze to Flazamyn with a malicious grin. "Small-fry!" He thrust his hand towards him and a blinding flash of light vaporized the advancing Flazerian in one, screech-filled, instant.

The light had barely faded when an explosion from behind Seripa drew his gaze to her, but that was her last thought as she realized that the explosion had come from the direction Amotto had been running. With a sudden burst of adrenaline she jumped to her feet and spun around to stare at a newly-formed crater that stretched about fifty feet across. Her eyes widened as she took off running, staggering and stumbling over scattered debris as she approached it, rubble raining down around her.

"Amotto!" she cried as she came skidding to a stop at the crater's edge. Immediately her hands flew to her mouth, her stomach twisting as she took in the sight before her: Amotto's arms and legs had been blown from her body, which was now in two segments having been violently torn apart in a diagonal-ripped angle at her upper torso. Blood was splattered all around her and it was clear from the lifeless eyes that stared up in eternal horror that she was already dead. Seripa sank to her knees as her legs gave out beneath her.

But who? Who had done it?

Laughter drew her attention skyward and Seripa rose instantly to her feet when she spotted the tyrannical culprit hovering high above them all, his finger still pointing down at Amotto.

"One fragile Saiyan down," said Frieza with an evil chuckle as he lowered his arm. He glanced sideways at the gold-enshrouded Tettuce and frowned as the gold began to fade away to be replaced with red.

Seripa glared up at Frieza in loathing, her hands trembling from a mixture of anger and weakness. Here was her target and she lacked the power to face him. And oh, how she wanted to face him down for what he did to Amotto, killing her like that. With no warning whatsoever, either. He could have killed any one of them, but instead he had killed the weakest of them all.

"So I see that it must have been you, after all," Frieza said to Tettuce. "You are the reason why my Ginyu Force does not respond."

Seripa glanced across the sky at Tettuce and watched as the blank-eyed Saiyan frowned, a flicker of recognition appearing briefly on his features.

"Ginyu Force?" The raging gold flames were dotted with red now, and the red was beginning to spread. After a few moments his aura had completely shifted from gold to red and then it slowly faded from around his body. He instantly began to breath heavily and retch, dropping slightly as he shook his head. "What…happened…?"

Seripa growled and frowned up at him. "Are you back to your senses, then?" she demanded angrily. "You nearly killed off your comrades and then you allowed Amotto to die!"

He jerked around in surprise and looked around at Zether, Bardock, her, and even Ryo. He finally leveled his gaze on the crater where Amotto's remains lay scattered and he looked sharply back up at Frieza. He was silent as he regarded the lizard, but the despondent look that came across his features was enough for Seripa to know that he couldn't fight Frieza; at least, not anymore. The power that he'd just had was long gone.

She looked at Bardock as he appeared silently at her side, leaning heavily on a bent piece of iron.

Tettuce unclenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes at Frieza. "I only killed the Major. The rest of your precious Ginyus are still alive. Except maybe Recoome."

Seripa's frown deepened at the strained smile he gave Frieza and she narrowed her eyes as she focused in on his. They seemed clouded and distracted to her. But why?

Bardock looked at her before following her gaze. He frowned and looked back at her. "What is it?"

She glanced at him and nodded up at Tettuce. "He doesn't seem himself anymore. I know he wasn't just now, but he seems…he seems reserved now."

Her mate arched an eyebrow and looked up at his mentor. "Yeah, he seems a bit different," he agreed.

"Oh? So you might have killed Recoome, then?" Frieza chuckled.

"No, she did." Tettuce pointed down and the lizard looked right at her.

A shiver ran up and then back down her spine as he smiled at her. "Ah, my future pet! So you are alive and as tenacious as ever, apparently."

Seripa scowled up at him. "Tenacious nothing. I'm gonna kill you for what you've done to Amotto!"

"I think not." Frieza laughed and looked around as Zether and Ryo hovered up on either side of him. "Five little bugs to squash. An endangered Gylderian, three endangered Saiyans, and one soon-to-be-endangered Flazerian."

"Like hell!" exclaimed Ryo in anger. After going up against Tettuce for so long with him just shrugging off his attacks, it was obvious he was pissed. And then to have Frieza come out of nowhere to taunt him? As Emperor of the Flazerians he clearly couldn't stand for it.

Seripa watched on in silence as Ryo flashed across the sky at the under-sized emperor. He dove on him raining blow after blow on the Ice-jinn's unguarded head. But if his attacks had any effect, they didn't show. Frieza just remained motionless, smirking as Ryo flashed around him attacking him all-out. Finally moving, he caught Ryo's wrist and immediately twisted it around with a sickening crunch.

Ryo bellowed in pain and retreated back a few feet, cradling his mangled hand against his chest. His red and silver eyes were wide in what had to be fear as he stared at Frieza.

The next thing Seripa knew, a thin purple beam was bursting from the back of Ryo's head and he was falling limply to the ground.

Frieza lowered his extended hand and looked around at the remaining fighters with a twisted grin as Ryo's lifeless body smashed into the concrete.

"So, who's next?"

_**DBZ**_

_(Individual Lies here. I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. I've been writing Witness for well over a year now and it's come a long way from the one-shot it once was. It started out as a character development exercise I was trying to help get an idea of where Seripa had come from and where she was going in another story I was writing. Well, this one struck a chord with me and I completely scrapped my other idea, merging the better parts with this one. So it's still growing and though I had originally intended to end this story by chapter twenty, I see now that it'll be a while yet before Witness is done. I hope that you all continue to read, review, and enjoy. There's still more on the way!) _


	16. End of All Hope

_**Chapter Sixteen: End of All Hope  
**_

_"It is the end of all hope  
To lose the child, the faith  
To end all the innocence  
To be someone like me  
This is the birth of all hope  
To have what I once had  
This life unforgiven  
It will end with a birth"  
__**Nightwish-End of All Hope**_

_** DBZ**_

Lessbru jerked bolt upright in his chair and immediately leaned closer to his computer monitor, a frown knitting his brows together. He could have sworn he had seen something appear on the radar, but then it was gone. Maybe he was seeing things? No, that couldn't be it. This computer system was the most advanced thing that the Gylderians could supply anyone with, so there was no way there was a glitch. He had surveyed the system thoroughly and found it better than he could have hoped for.

His fingers flew across his console as he entered in several commands and a second later there was something on the radar. He activated the exterior scanners and an image of an ominous-looking ship appeared on his screen. All the blood drained from his cheeks and he turned, pale-faced, to Aurah.

"H-highness…I think you should see this."

Aurah, who had been deep in thought in her throne, lifted her luminescent gaze to the helmsman. "What is it, Lessbru?"

"Uhm," He turned to look at the screen again and then turned back to her. "I think it is Frieza's ship." A hush fell about the cabin and everyone turned their eyes on him.

Aurah flew out of her seat and practically sprinted to the Saiyan's side. Her eyes went wide and she gripped the back of his chair for support. "It is!" she hissed in surprise. It really was Frieza's ship! What was he doing there, though? What brought someone of his stature to a miserable planet like Jynn-jin 13?

She didn't know what to think about it. Did it have something to do with their altercation a year ago? Had his ego been hurt when they had escaped from him, especially after Seripa's jeers? Or was there something else going on here? Frieza was in the heart of Flazerian territory. That alone was more than enough to start an intergalactic war between the Flazerian and Ice-jinn Empires. Could it be that Ryo, Emperor of the Flazerians, was on Jynn-jin 13? Did Frieza know that and seek to destroy the Flazerian leader? He had already destroyed Planet Gylder_, _all-but wiping out the entire Gylderian Empire. Did he seek to destroy the heart of the Flazerian Empire by killing Ryo?

Or was he here to exact his punishment on Tettuce? That was another major possibility that she could not deny. Frieza had wanted her mate dead for years. It wasn't too difficult to believe that he had traveled all this way just to finish Tettuce once and for all; to end the final true threat of the Saiyans.

Maybe all of this was connected, she suddenly realized. She had been thinking about the reason Frieza had destroyed Planet Vegeta: to kill her father, Lord Vogan, the Patriarch of the Gylderian Empire. By killing him, Frieza had nearly torn the Gylderian Empire apart, but thankfully Aurah had been there to fill her father's shoes. But without her planet, the heart of the Empire, then there was little she could do to be effective now. Despite what she had told Falmer, she knew that the Empire was finished. All the major leaders had been on Planet Gylder and they were now all dead. Now Frieza was here on Jynn-jin 13, where Ryo could also possibly be. Tettuce, herself, and Zether were all here, too.

It was a trap. Frieza had set a trap for them all. Somehow, someway, he had ensnared them, and he was going to wipe out the last of the Gylderian Empire and destroy the Flazerian Empire. Only the Ice-jins would reign supreme from then on. It all made sense!

"Lessbru, track Frieza's battle power right now!" She knew that command was pointless, because she could already feel his power near to where Tettuce and the others were. But the helmsman did as he was told and within seconds there was an image on the screen of a massive Flazerian attacking Frieza all-out. The next instant he was dead from a beam to his head. Lord Ryo H'iojj was dead.

"Gods help us…Lessbru, take the ship down now. Keep us well away from the battlefield, though. They're going to need a ride out of there and they'll need it yesterday!" she snapped as she straightened up.

"Right!" Lessbru set to work and the ship immediately began to rotate in its orbit. A few seconds later the entire bridge was in an uproar as rotating red lights flashed across the walls, an alarm blaring.

"What is going on?" Aurah demanded in confusion.

"We've been locked on! Brace for impact!" Lessbru cried as he threw himself sprawling onto the floor and covered his head.

"Computer!" Aurah cried. "Threat onscreen immediately!" The same instant Frieza's ship appeared on the main viewscreen at the front of the bridge, the ship shuddered violently, throwing her off her feet. The next thing she knew she was glued to the floor as the ship spun wildly around out of control in a freefall towards Jynn-jin 13.

They had shot to kill! They had known they were there! Aurah cursed herself for making a move. Of course they would have anticipated any move she could have made, or perhaps had even been en route to blow their ship out of space anyway. Anything was possible; possible and irrelevant, for they were all doomed.

"Damn it!"

She turned her head slowly, fighting against the g-forces, to see Lessbru struggling to pull himself into his seat. With the ship spinning as violently as it was, she figured that Lessbru had to be fighting against 40gs to reach his console. The ship bucked and suddenly he was flying up and then slamming down violently in his seat, the sound of cracking audible from his back and legs.

Lessbru collapsed violently on the console, his eyes wide and the pupils of his eyes all-but invisible as he gasped in pain. As she watched he narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw against the pain. He struggled to haul his arm up, his face red with effort, until finally his fingers found the keys of his console and he laboriously began to enter commands.

Aurah watched in awe as the ship's spin began to slow, the g-forces gradually lessening. They continued their descent, but she was slowly able to climb to her feet, struggling against the weight of her own body under these conditions. She looked at the viewscreen, but all that was visible was a pulsating orange and red haze from the friction on the hull.

"Can you stop us, Lessbru?"

The injured man shook his head slowly, gulping as he continued to slowly enter commands. "W-we are g-going to crash, H-highness."

The ship bucked violently staggering Aurah so that she slammed violently down in her throne. Grimacing in pain she looked towards the viewscreen to see the surface of the planet rising rapidly to meet them through dark clouds. She knew that it was unlikely anyone would survive this crash. And even if they did, without a ship they would never escape Frieza's grasp.

The ship suddenly bucked again and everyone on the bridge hit the floor, Aurah flying out of her throne, as the ship's spin suddenly ceased. She pushed herself up and looked toward the viewscreen in surprise to see the red and orange haze beginning to fade. She looked over to where Lessbru lay panting on the floor and then around at the confused faces turned to her.

She climbed back to her feet as Blythe and Etapa lifted Lessbru up. "What's going on?"

"The ship is slowing down, Highness!" cried a female Saiyan as she took Lessbru's place at the helm. Her fingers flew across the console and the viewscreen shifted to show a figure bathed in blue light, his hands embedded firmly in the steel of the hull as he struggled to slow the ship.

"Who is that?" Aurah demanded sharply.

Broco looked to the screen and his single eye went wide as he growled, "It's Turles, that foolish boy!"

"What?" The Matron of Gylder narrowed her eyes and peered intently at the screen. It was still difficult to see through the red and orange haze of the burning hull, compounded by the blazing aura that surrounded the figure. But there was no doubt that it was the teenager fighting to save their lives. "I thought he was in recovery!"

A door at the back of the bridge slid open and Sushinae rushed in right then, her dull silver face flushed with red. She slid across the floor, her feet slipping out from under her and she hit the floor heavily. "Turles...!" She took a deep breath and looked to Aurah. "Turles left recovery!"

Aurah glared at Sushinae. "Is he healed?"

"No! He wasn't in there long enough to fully recover from his wound!" Sushinae gasped out.

Aurah narrowed her eyes and looked back to the screen. The boy was foolish to try something as insane as this, especially with a wound as bad as his. He was foolish, but also brave. A slight smile played at the corners of her lips and she looked to the helm.

"You! Pilot, what is your name?"

The woman turned around to regard Aurah in surprise. She was a tall woman, probably even taller than Tettuce, with long black hair that stretched down to the floor of the bridge and dark blue eyes. "Peppa, Highness!"

"Peppa, with him slowing the ship can you get us back under control?"

"On it!" Peppa turned back to the console and set to work. Almost immediately everyone aboard the ship could feel the difference as their descent slowed drastically.

"Blythe! Take Lessbru to recovery. Etapa, I need a damage assessment now!"

The Gylderian male slung Lessbru unceremoniously over his shoulder and sprinted off the bridge as Etapa returned to her own station to carry out the order. Seconds later she turned to Aurah grimly. "The hull has been breached at the engine room and the hyper-drive engines have been disabled. However," she looked back at her console, "the main engines are still functioning at full capacity."

"Damn it!" She didn't like the fact that the hyper-drive engines were down, especially with them being so far from allied territory. But with the main engines still working then there was a possibility that they could rescue Tettuce and the others.

"Highness!"

Aurah looked over to Peppa. "What is it?"

The taller woman turned to stare at her. "The enemy ship is descending after us. They'll be able to lock on for another shot in a few seconds."

"Hey, where'd Turles go?" Broco suddenly demanded and everyone turned their attention to the screen at the front of the bridge.

_** DBZ**_

Turles, his hair whipping madly about, stood bare-chested and barefoot atop the ship as he stared up at the other ship that was rapidly gaining on them. When he left recovery he had barely taken the time to throw on his under-armor for his legs. Clouds flew by as the ship, back under full control of the pilot, raced away from the approaching threat. Sweat poured down his face as he pressed his hand to his abdomen and he grimaced when he felt the tell-tale warm stickiness of blood pouring down his stomach. His wound had reopened from his strenuous exercise in foolishness, but it had needed to be done. No one else had made a move to leave the ship, so he had taken it upon himself to do it.

He partially regretted doing it, now, because he was losing a lot of blood. And with Frieza's ship giving chase he knew that he was about to lose more. But he was, without a doubt, the only person strong enough to fight against the ship. Of course he would have to be quick about it; otherwise he would bleed to death before too long.

The enemy ship was closing in on them, which was fine by him. It meant that he had less chance of missing with an attack, but he was curious as to why their ship was slowing down.

A red beam of energy suddenly lanced toward them and he barely kept his balance as the ship veered sharply to avoid being hit. As the ship was righted, he thrust his hand towards Frieza's ship and fired a blast at it. He grinned as it exploded against the hull, but then cursed when he realized that he'd hit a force-field.

"Gods damn it!" he roared at them as he held his hands up, palms facing one another. "Force-field this, you bastards! Kill Driver!" A gold ring appeared between his hands, crackling with ki. He took quick heavy breaths as it slowly swelled in size; sweat drops were swept from his soaked face. "FIRE!" It rocketed away from him, more than tripling in size as it raced towards the ship. "Take it! I fucking dare you!"

The other ship suddenly rotated out of the way of the blast and Turles cursed at the top of his lungs. "Gods damn that Coma-idiot! If I was at full power I would kill you all!"

"Turles!"

He jerked his attention over his shoulder and glared at Broco as he made his way across the hull to him. "What do you want?"

"You need to get back to recovery right now! You're bleeding all over the damn hull!" He grabbed the teenager's arm, meaning to drag him back inside.

Turles jerked his arm free and turned back to the other ship. "In case you ain't noticed, I'm a little busy."

"Yeah, busy killing yourself! It's not worth it, Turles. We can outrun them!" Broco said angrily. "You don't need to endanger yourself!"

Turles laughed bitterly as another red beam lanced towards them and the ship veered sharply again, barely dodging it. "They'll blow us out of the sky before we outrun them, Broco. No, I think I'm gonna stay right here."

"Gods damn it, Turles! Don't argue! You're going to get yourself killed doing this!"

The teenager cast a silent glance at Broco, his hair whipping into his face. He grinned at the older man and then launched himself from the hull, his blue aura alighting as he shot at the other ship.

"_TURLES_!"

But the boy ignored him and flew as fast as he could, the distance between him and the other ship closing in the blink of an eye. He angled down and then pulled up sharply towards the bottom of Frieza's ship. He spun around at the last second and slammed his back violently into the bottom of the ship. If he expected anything to happen, it definitely wasn't for nothing to happen. The hit jarred him roughly and pain shot through his stomach and back, his vision going black instantly.

When he came to he was falling through darkness, unsure which way was up and which was down. Quickly shaking his head, he flared his ki and his aura reappeared and then he shot up and out of the clouds, relieved to discover that he'd only been out for an instant as both ships were still visible. They were both rapidly leaving him behind, though, and he was already winded as it was. He wiped his arm across his forehead and poured his remaining ki into flying, and he caught up to the ships within seconds. But by then he was nearly gasping for breath and his head was swimming with fatigue.

He raced under Frieza's ship and spun around so his back was parallel with the ground. Reining his ki in, he matched his pace with the ship and brought both hands up to aim at the belly of the ship. Ki crackled at his palms as he struggled to form an energy blast, and he was so focused on that task that he didn't see the beam of energy that slammed into the back of Tettuce's ship; nor did he see Zarbon suddenly drop out of an open hatch and fly towards him. The explosion from the blast connecting with the ship did catch his attention and he looked sharply towards it, so he never saw Zarbon until after the blue warrior kicked him violently in his bleeding stomach, dropping him out of the sky.

Turles fell through the air, tumbling end over end as he clutched his stomach. Pain coursed through his abdomen, draining every ounce of his strength. He couldn't overcome it, so he fell like a rock towards the distant surface of the planet. As he fell, he struggled to open his eyes and look up; he immediately regretted doing it, too, for flying down after him was Frieza's ship and it was painfully obvious that they were locked onto him. There was no sign of the other ship anywhere.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and steeled himself for what was to come, just as a tree-trunk thick beam of red energy lanced down at him and slammed into his chest; he was at its mercy as it carried him down through the clouds and towards the ground.

_** DBZ**_

Berik crouched low behind a pile of rubble, his eyes locked on the hovering tyrant above the battle-ravaged city. He had arrived shortly before the lizard and had seen most of what had happened. When Frieza arrived he had hidden as quickly as he could, just in time to see Amotto be blown to pieces. It was not a pleasant thing to witness.

Strange symbols flashed across the lenses of his glasses and sweat poured down the sides of his face. "530,000…" he whispered breathlessly. "Over half a million…No wonder Ryo died so easily. Frieza is beyond anything anyone has ever dreamed of…"

Reluctantly he tore his gaze from the Ice-jinn and settled it on the crater where Amotto lay still. The symbols faded…but only briefly, before reappearing and his eyes widened in shock.

"She's alive! But how…?" According to the readout he was seeing on his lenses he could tell that she was just barely alive, but the fact that she was living came as a shock. But he could also tell from the readout that she did not have long. Still, for her to be alive…

A thundering boom from overhead drew his gaze skyward and he nearly jumped up to exclaim when he saw a spiraling ship burst from the clouds, plummeting uncontrollably towards the ground.

"NO!" A cry of anguish drew his gaze to Tettuce as the Saiyan took off at full speed to intercept it.

Berik watched in awe as Tettuce shot through the sky, becoming nearly a red blur of motion before he slammed into the ship, and the spinning instantly ceased with a thunderous groaning of steel. But its descent continued. His eyes were wide behind his glasses as the ship continued falling, carrying the Saiyan down towards the ground. It was all he could do to keep from jumping to his feet and crying out.

"Foolish Saiyan!"

He looked over to Frieza to see his attention firmly on Tettuce.

Berik glanced back to the crater and his eyes narrowed slowly as a crazy idea sprang into his mind. "I vowed to repay you Amotto…" Looking back to Frieza he suddenly jumped up and sprinted towards the crater, skidding down the sides to the scattered remains of the Saiyan woman. As he came to her side he was surprised to hear a faint gasp from her and he watched in surprise as her eyes slowly closed.

He quickly removed his belt from his pants and gathered her arms and legs into a bundle, securing them together with the belt, which he then tied about his neck. He glanced back up to Frieza to make sure his attention was still on Tettuce, then he scooped up what remained of Amotto and her torso and took to the air as fast as he could, racing back to his lab at top speed.

He forced himself to keep his eyes forward, even after he heard an explosion from behind him…

_** DBZ**_

Seripa could feel new strength building in her muscles. She had assumed that she'd fried the remainder of the nanites, but the tingling that was building up in her arms and legs was a clear indication that they had survived the Spirit Burn and were slowly rebuilding her damaged body. It was an odd sensation, she was quickly realizing, her body noticeably healing before her eyes. Her aching bones and bruised muscles were bothering her less and less and she was beginning to feel faint surges in her ki.

Granted her injuries were far from being healed, she found a faint surge of hope in knowing that she could still possibly continue fighting. Especially with the events that had played out all day. She had discovered that her captors were secretly helping her and her friends, while at the same time using her for experimentation. Meanwhile, the Ginyu Force had arrived along with Tettuce, Bardock, a strange man named Zether, the Flazerian leader Ryo, and finally Frieza himself. She barely could wrap her mind around that fact, especially considering she really hadn't had the time. Not much time had passed since her escape, but it felt like months, maybe even years, had gone by.

The odds had quickly stacked against them as events kept turning out against them. The Gylderian Homeworld had been destroyed and Lord Ryo had been killed with little effort. But Seripa refused to give in or give up. She had learned that in order to survive you could never give up. Continuing the fight was the only option, especially if you were fighting for your life. Giving up was never an option.

She clenched her fists tight as she stared up at Frieza.

Suddenly Tettuce blasted into the sky and her eyes widened as she jerked her attention to him. She quickly saw the helpless ship and she knew that Aurah was aboard that ship; Tettuce had to save her. She could almost feel the force of the impact as he slammed into the hull, ceasing the seemingly unstoppable spinning. Realizing that the ship was still falling, carrying Tettuce with it, she couldn't help herself. She launched herself into the sky and blasted off to help him.

She slammed into the hull beside him and saw as he jerked his head around to stare at her in surprise. She flashed him a grin and gestured back as Bardock appeared on his other side, a tremor running through the ship. Zether appeared beyond Bardock, another tremor running the length of the ship.

Tettuce glanced between the three of them as his muscles trembled with the strain of trying to stop the ship.

Frieza suddenly appeared and grabbed Bardock and Seripa by the backs of their battle-jackets and tore them loose with obvious ease. He spun around and launched them both down into the ground and then turned to Tettuce and Zether. The Saiyan glared at the diminutive terror and then spun around to fire off a massive blast.

Frieza merely grinned and raised both hands, deflecting the blast away and into Zether. It connected and tore him from the hull of the ship to carry him down to the ground. While Tettuce stared on in stunned silence as an explosion absorbed the young man's body, Frieza spun and kicked him away, leaving the ship to the mercy of gravity.

Seripa was pushing herself up when Tettuce launched himself back towards the ship, racing to intercept it before it hit the ground. Her eyes were wide as he vanished beneath the hull, and then there was a deafening roar and dust was scattered high into the sky, shielding the devastation from view.

At the same time, a red beam of energy slammed into the ground beside her, and she jerked her attention at it in surprise as it flashed away, leaving the smoking form of a groaning Turles, blood pouring from a wound in his stomach.

Seripa's mind seemed to grind to a halt as her brain attempted to soak in the information of the day. Okay, so Aurah and Tettuce had possibly just been killed and now Turles was suddenly appearing from the sky, looking the worse for the wear. What else was going to happen today? Was she going to become a Super Saiyan? At this point anything seemed possible.

Bardock dropped down beside her, his chest heaving and sweat pouring down his face. His eyes widened as he stared down at his younger brother in surprise.

"Turles is alive?"

"For now he is," Seripa said as she touched the boy's wound gently. She lifted her hand and stared at the blood that stained her fingertips. "He's lost a lot of blood. Damn good chance he'll die soon if we don't get him to a rejuvenation chamber."

"Then he's screwed." Bardock frowned and glanced to where the ship was just becoming visible as the dust settled; it was sitting lop-sided in a shallow crater. Despite the rate it had hit the ground it still seemed to be in one piece. Maybe landing on Tettuce had actually saved the ship…?

"No. Not yet, he's not." Seripa stood back up, stifling a groan as her bones and muscles pulled painfully. But the pain was diminishing rapidly. She frowned and clenched her fists tight at her sides…she closed her eyes and concentrated on calling up her ki. Her eyes shot open in surprise as she felt it building up all around and within her. _She had ki!_

Bardock must have realized it, too, because he was looking at her in surprise. "I can feel your power…it's growing! It's nowhere near what it was earlier, but the fact that you have any ki at all is a shock."

"Yeah, I know. A Jynn-jin scientist put some microscopic robots inside me to make me stronger. Two sets; one set was designed to destroy my muscles and the other was designed to repair them. I'm sure that the first set has been destroyed, but the second set is still working a little. If I can stay out of the fight for a little longer, I may be able to recover a good majority of my strength."

"Robots? Are you serious?" A look of concern flashed across Bardock's face as he stared at her in disbelief.

She grinned at him and nodded. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. That's the only reason I'm as strong as I am now. This morning I only had a power reading of maybe 8500, maybe a little more. But after the nanites were activated my power sky-rocketed. And earlier when I tried the Spirit Burn at a multiplier of ten, I was hoping to destroy my body in the process…so that maybe the nanites would heal me and I could become even stronger. It was a desperate move and I only did it because I didn't know what else to do."

Bardock blinked at her in silence for a few moments. He finally shook his head and smiled slightly. "I suppose I should believe ya, eh? Weirder things have happened lately."

Seripa laughed quietly. "Some of those weird things have been blessings!" She smiled up at him fondly. She was still trying to understand just how he was alive, but regardless of that fact she was beyond elated to have her mate back.

Bardock turned away from her and locked his gaze on Frieza. "At the moment blessin's do not exist. Frieza's here and we're at his mercy…"

"Not for long," Seripa murmured as she stared up at the dark clouds overhead. She could just make out the faint outline of a full moon shimmering above the cloud bank. She pointed upward and met her mate's gaze. "If even one of us can get a good look at the moon, then maybe we'll have a chance. Frieza is tough, but can he handle us as Oozarus? And even if he can handle one of us, can he handle two or three Oozarus?"

Bardock stared at her in surprise before jerking his head around to stare up into the clouds. If they could somehow break the cloud cover…or maybe even get above it, one of them could transform. Maybe that was how they would do it. Saiyans were capable of becoming up to ten, maybe fifteen, times stronger than their maximum battle power. For most Saiyans, those that were unable to maintain anything more than a primal consciousness in that state, it was used only as a last resort. Only the strongest of the strong, and most keen of mind could really control the transformation. Bardock hated to admit that he never really mastered his control over the state, but it was really the only thing that separated him from people like the Royals. And Seripa, even her cunning mind was unable to control it. She also hadn't really been the strongest of the strong, but…

Bardock looked down at his mate. If this plan was going to work it had to be Seripa to transform first. If he went and he was unable to control the transformation then he was liable to fly off and do Kami knows what in his primal madness.

He never considered himself much of a thinker; he was a Saiyan through and through. His only concern as a Saiyan was fighting. Whether it was fighting to live, fighting to kill, that didn't really matter to him. He had always relied on his strength to get him through situations, even pushing his body past its breaking point just to continue fighting. It was all he knew.

But Seripa had been much weaker than he had been at her age. He never could forget the first time he heard about her. The week of testing and trials to determine where each new cadet would go. From day one he followed her progress, first out of curiosity, then out of pure interest. Here was the weakest cadet sailing through every test thrust at her, overcoming every trial. He couldn't make sense of it at first. Not just from here say or from reading results. He had had to see firsthand what this girl was capable of.

He remembered showing up on the final day of the trials just in time to see the start of Seripa's. It had involved taking down enemies that were stronger than herself in a short amount of time. Bardock hadn't thought it would be possible for her. But the fight had lasted less than a minute when her two opponents rushed her head on. The ki technique she launched at them had blinded the watchers and nearly killed herself and her opponents.

Bardock sometimes wondered if that was the moment he fell for this girl. He had known from that instant that she was going to be on his team, come hell or high water. For a girl of that age to master such a powerful technique…she had to have serious control over her ki, however small it may have been.

Looking at her now he could see how much she had grown. Not only in strength and power, but her resolve as well. He never understood why she had always had such low self-esteem, but she had never regarded herself with any sort of confidence. Sure she was a tough fighter and had endured life or death situations multiple times, but how she carried herself and considered herself had never been solid.

But today he had seen her fight beyond her prior abilities and even attempt a near-suicidal Spirit Burn…and she had done so without flinching. She had the mental resolve now more than ever to pull this off.

"Frieza won't give us much time," he said with a slight smirk.

She grinned back and cracked her knuckles with a wince. "Then we'll do this quick. I'll distract Frieza-"

"No," he interrupted, drawing an arched eyebrow from her. His smirk split into a grin as he said, "I'll take the lizard for now. You get above the clouds and transform. Then come back and go ape-shit on his ass."

Seripa blinked in surprise but she quickly grinned. "I think I can do that."

"Well, what do we have here?"

Bardock and Seripa jerked their heads around to find Frieza standing before them, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Now, I really would have thought that the two of you would have run away while you had the chance. But I see you brought a friend instead," he said as he nodded his chin towards Turles at their feet.

"Spirit Burn! Multiple Thrice!" Bardock was instantly engulfed in blue and he launched himself at Frieza, his fists and feet blurs of motion as he attacked the Ice-jin.

But the tyrant merely danced back out of reach, ducking and dodging the attacks with a grin plastered across his ugly face.

Seripa watched as Bardock drove the lizard away from her and she felt a warm swell of pride for her mate in her chest. Reluctantly she tore her gaze away from them and looked to the sky, summoning her ki to give herself lift. It took more effort than she would have liked, but she had just had the tar torn from her hide. She was lucky to be alive, let alone flying.

As she ascended she looked at the downed ship hoping to see signs of movement. The ship was still wholly intact but as far as she could see all was still. She narrowed her eyes, biting her bottom lip in agitation as she focused her gaze on to the clouds. She focused more of her ki into her flight and she felt her speed increase. The wind blew through her hair and cooled the burning skin of her overexerted body. It felt so good she couldn't help but to close her eyes as she flew into the dark clouds. Moisture gathered in her hair and rivulets of water began to trickle down her face. It was a refreshing feeling.

The next thing she knew she was out in the open and her eyes opened to look around quickly. Almost immediately her searching gaze found the glowing form of the full moon and a fierce grin split her features as she threw her arms out wide.

"Let's see that lizard take on an Oozaru!" She began to laugh as her heart began to pound and her body started convulsing.

_** DBZ**_

Bardock's mind was blank of any thought as he continuously attacked Frieza. He knew that none of his punches or kicks were doing any good and he could feel that Frieza's power was much greater than his. He couldn't determine just how massive it was in comparison to his, but he could tell that it was like comparing mountains and rocks. He just knew that his death was more than likely imminent.

"I suppose that I've humiliated you long enough. You haven't even nicked me!" Frieza's tail jerked around and slapped across the Saiyan's face, sending him rolling and tumbling across the ground. The lizard chuckled and vanished, reappearing beyond the Saiyan so that he was rolling toward him, and slammed his foot into the rolling Bardock's side, sending him flying in the other direction. He watched with an evil gleam in his eyes as the Saiyan finally came to a stop and was still.

"I told you that you would all die here. No matter how hard you try, there isn't a single one of you that can fight me. You monkeys are just flies next to me." Frieza blinked and narrowed his eyes as Bardock started to rise.

His body trembling the Saiyan struggled to push himself up. He turned his head to look at Frieza from behind tangles of his mass of hair and he narrowed his hard eyes.

"You underestimate us, Frieza. We Saiyans are more than just monkeys." Bardock winced as he climbed to his feet. He clutched at his side and smirked at the lizard. "We Saiyans are a warrior race descended from legends! You call us flies, but we must be more so for you to want every last one of us dead. I think you're scared of us."

Frieza smiled at Bardock and folded his hands behind his back. "Me? Afraid of you? Why, you can barely stand and I haven't even begun warming up yet. Descended from legends? If the Super Saiyan ever existed, it was a bigger joke than you are today. You are all monkeys and will never be more than just that."

Bardock suddenly grinned and straightened to fold his arms across his chest. "I think the proper term…is _Oozaru!_" He suddenly shot backward, his eyes jerking straight up to the sky.

Frieza blinked and followed the direction of his gaze…just as a massive fur-covered fist came slamming down on top of him, flattening him into the ground.

Bardock skid to a stop as Seripa's feet hit the ground and she let forth a deafening roar. _**"HHWWAAOORRGGGHH!" **_She picked her fist out of the ground and hammered both fists against her chest, still roaring.

Frieza drew himself from the rubble and turned his red-eyed gaze on the monstrous giant ape towering over him. He knew instantly from the ravaged armor that it was the tenacious female, Seripa. Somehow she had become an Oozaru…

He jerked his head around to look for Bardock and found the Saiyan flying towards the clouds. His eyes narrowed as he realized their plan.

"One Oozaru is bad enough. But two? I don't think so!" He shot into the air and away from Seripa, heading straight for Bardock.

He hadn't gone more than thirty feet before a massive hand snatched him out of the air and he was being thrown back to the ground. He slammed like a rock into the shattered concrete and looked up in time to see Seripa's foot come crashing down on top of him.

_**"FFFFRRRIIIEEEZZZAAAA!" **_Seripa roared at the top of her lungs as she continuously stamped her foot on the tiny lizard.

_**"YOU WILL NEVER FORGET THIS MOMENT!" **_She pulled her foot from the trembling form of Frieza and stooped down to snatch him up. A malicious smile twisted her fierce jaw and narrowed her gleaming red eyes as she held the Ice-jin close to her mouth.

Frieza grimaced as he jerked his arm from where it had been pinned against his side in her grasp. "Nor will you, Saiyan!" He brought his arm down and from his extended index finger a thin purple beam flew towards Seripa's head.

The Saiyan laughed as she jerked her head sideways clear of the beam and she opened her mouth wide as she released the surprised Frieza. A light began to shine from the back of her throat and suddenly a massive white beam of energy slammed into him and blew him down to the ground where he slammed violently into the shattered remains of a street, the blast carrying him backwards and digging a trench in his wake.

Seripa roared again and hammered her fists against her chest, the roar turning into laughter as she leveled her gaze on her handiwork; Frieza was shakily digging himself from the rubble and seething murder as he looked back at her.

"You Saiyans will understand true fear today, I assure you. I will not let this insolence stand!" He drew to his feet and glared at the towering ape that was approaching him.

"_**FEAR IS SOMETHING I AM ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH. HAVE YOU EVER FELT IT BEFORE? IT'S REALLY A HELL OF A RUSH!" **_She threw her head back and laughed again as she paused before Frieza, looking more the monstrous compared to the diminutive tyrant.

Frieza grinned as he glared up at Seripa. "I will never know fear for as long as I live. I am Lord Frieza, Emperor of the Northern Galaxy! All under my rule will know fear, but I shall never share that misfortune."

_**"TIMES CHANGE, LIZARD. I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU THE TRUE MEANING OF THE WORD…FEAR!" **_She turned and looked into the sky just as another massive ape descended through the clouds, his murderous red eyes immediately seeking out Frieza. _**"TWO OOZARUS! KNOW FEAR!"**_

"You are too full of yourself, Female," Frieza said with a smirk as he watched Bardock approach menacingly. "I still have yet to use any power. Now I shall and you will know exactly who I am!" His arms shot up and two spheres of purple energy flashed forward, one slamming into Seripa's chest and knocking her back and to the ground with a ground-shaking thud. The second continued on to Bardock; the massive Saiyan must've seen it because his arm flew up and he made to knock it away. The blast exploded against his arm and he roared as he was thrown violently to the ground from the resulting force.

Laughing, Frieza rose into the air. "And bear in mind that I have nowhere near gotten serious with you, yet. Nor do I have the intention to go that far just for a couple of measly Saiyans. I do not care how strong you two think you have become. Know this: It is not, nor will it ever be, enough!"

Seripa drew her massive form up and into a sitting position, one arm draped across a bent knee. She grinned and cocked her head slightly. _**"IF ITS GETTING SERIOUS YOU WANT, THEN WE WILL OBLIGE."**_

Frieza frowned down at her. "You will die in ten seconds."

Bardock jumped to his feet, the crushing mass of his body trembling the ground and shaking rubble loose from piled mounds surrounding him. He glared at the Ice-jin for a moment before he suddenly slammed both fists against his chest. He roared as a red light shone from his throat, and then he threw his head around to shoot the massive crimson blast at Frieza.

The lizard's eyes widened as he watched the approaching blast. He could deflect it, but even without a scouter he could tell the blast meant business. He knew he had to be careful. He quickly brought his arm up and prepared to deflect the blast before it could hit him.

Faster than he ever expected Seripa charged him and snatched him out of the air, and then immediately spun to throw him directly into the approaching blast. The explosion lit up the sky and swept the clouds above away, revealing the brightly lit moon of Jynn-jin 13.

Bardock roared and hammered his fists against his chest while Seripa stared at the fading light of the explosion, her red eyes darting to and fro as she watched for any sign of Frieza.

The lizard reappeared looking smudged and filthy, but mostly angry. "You still do not understand! I am Lord Frieza! You are merely Saiyans!"

Bardock roared again and lunged at the tyrant, bringing his fur covered fist crashing down on top of him and driving him into the ground. His foot swept forward and he kicked Frieza flying through the air. He hammered his fists against his chest and then took off after him.

Frieza vanished and then immediately reappeared to drive both of his feet into Bardock's forehead; the resulting shockwave sent scattered debris and rubble flying as the massive Saiyan went crashing to the ground from the blow.

"You will know the wrath of Frieza!" He pointed his index finger down at Bardock and a piercing purple beam lanced down and into his chest.

Bardock roared in pain and anger and was instantly on his feet, backhanding Frieza towards Seripa.

_**"AND YOU WILL KNOW THE FURY OF THE SAIYANS!" **_Seripa opened her fanged mouth wide and a blinding white light flashed from the back of her throat to slam into the approaching form of Frieza; it exploded on impact, a massive white sphere of destruction spreading out from the point of connection and instantly vaporizing any and all debris it touched before it completely vanished without warning.

Seripa walked towards the crater that had been left behind and paused at the edge as she looked down at Frieza lying still in the center. Behind her Bardock continued to roar and hammer his fists against his chest.

_**"YOU'RE FINISHED FRIEZA. YOU CAN'T HANDLE TWO OOZARUS AT ONCE. NOT EVEN YOU ARE THAT STRONG." **_Seripa grinned, exposing her elongated fangs menacingly. _**"YOUR BOASTING ENDS TODAY, AND IT ENDS AT THE HANDS OF SAIYANS."**_

Frieza sat up slowly and frowned up at Seripa. "Nothing ends today, except for the lives of two pesky Saiyans. I have held back long enough. Now it is time I show you two exactly what fighting Lord Frieza is _really _like."

Bardock suddenly charged forward, rushing past Seripa to swing his massive fist around at Frieza, his mouth wide open in a challenging roar.

Seripa watched on with a grin until Bardock reached Frieza and the tyrant's arms flashed up to catch hold of the onrushing fist, instantly stopping the Oozaru in his tracks and effectively erasing Seripa's grin. Her red eyes were wide as she watched Frieza suddenly twist and turn, jerking the gigantic Bardock from his feet with ease, and sling the massive Saiyan across the city, his massive frame twisting and crashing across the ground violently.

She watched on until her mate vanished into the distance. _**"SO YOU'RE NOT ALL TALK AFTER ALL."**_

Frieza turned to regard her evenly. Any trace of his previous amusement was gone as his cold red eyes stared at her. "When you reach Hell, Saiyan, I want you to ponder on this: I spared you from a terror greater than that of hell!" A black and red aura suddenly enveloped his body and he lunged forward to drive his fist into the side of Seripa's head, sending her crashing violently into the ground, splitting it open and caving in the concrete from the force.

Before she even had a chance to sit up, Frieza was grabbing her ankle and slinging her bulk around as he had done Bardock, and she was sailing end over end through the air. She saw a flash of purple and there was a sudden burning and piercing pain in her shoulder.

With a roar of outrage she flared her ki and her massive frame came to an immediate halt. She spun around to level her red eyes on Frieza in an angry glare.

"That anger you feel, Saiyan…the anger that I can see burning from your eyes. That isn't even a percentage of the anger you have caused me! I am furious!" His aura surged violently around his body and the ground gave way slowly beneath his feet in a deepening crater. "No one challenges Lord Frieza! NO ONE!"

_**"AND NO ONE HUMULIATES THE INVINCIBILE SAIYANS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT, ICE-JIN! YOU WILL DIE!" **_Seripa suddenly brought both hands up and to her chest, her left hand facing palm up and her right facing palm down. Almost instantly a white light shone from between her hands. Then, with a brilliant blinding flash, Frieza shielding his eyes from the intensity, a sphere of white ki materialized between her palms.

"You think I will let you get off an attack?" Frieza cried as he struggled to focus his blinded eyes on her.

_**"LIKE YOU HAVE A CHOICE!" **_She pushed her hands forward, widening her stance at the same time, and the white sphere flashed forward; the ground beneath her feet and behind her splintered, erupting upwards into tiny fragments as the sphere made its way towards the stunned Ice-jin.

Frieza blinked his eyes rapidly and frowned as he narrowed them on the approaching ball. "Oh, you want to play?" His aura surged and he flashed forward, his fist driving forward to slam into the sphere powerfully enough to immediately send it flying back towards Seripa.

Her eyes went wide and she quickly lunged sideways, the ball grazing against her leg and ricocheting to the ground; as she cringed in pain from the burn of the blast, it exploded and she found herself tumbling violently across the ground, blood flying from both nostrils of her split nose and her mouth.

When she finally came to rest she immediately struggled to her feet, staggering first backwards and then forwards briefly as she shook her massive and dazed head. She leveled her red-eyed gaze on Frieza who was smirking and looking slightly amused again. _**"ICE-JIN! YOU-"**_

Before the words could completely leave her mouth, a black and red ball of energy flashed forward from his suddenly thrust-forward hands, and it exploded against her chest, sending her crashing back and to the ground.

As the smoke and dust swirled around her dazed form, Frieza suddenly appeared standing on the ravaged chest-plate of her armor. He looked down at her as her chest rose and fell quickly beneath his feet.

"It ends here, Saiyan. The fun and games are over. I've toyed with you long enough!" He raised both hands above his head, his aura reappearing and surging around him like a vortex.

A blue ball of ki suddenly slammed into his chest, exploding with enough force to send him careening from Seripa's chest and crashing to the ground.

Seripa blinked and glanced around wearily to see Bardock walking menacingly forward, a shining, pulsating sphere of ki glowing ever brighter in his right palm.

Frieza stood up and glowered at Bardock. "You will regret that, Saiyan!"

_**"NOT LIKELY," **_Bardock growled in cold clarity. _**"THE FIGHT ENDS NOW!" **_A brilliant blue aura surged to life and completely engulfed his towering frame. It swirled in an ever-growing tornado of power as the sphere shone brighter and brighter at his side. He suddenly surged forward into a sprinting lunge before immediately springing into the air, the ground exploding underneath the downward surge of his ki.

Frieza watched in stunned surprise as the massive Saiyan dropped down towards him.

Roaring at the top of his lungs, Bardock cried out, _**"TAKE THIS! MY BURNING SUPER FINAL SPIRIT CANNON!"**_

Seripa's eyes widened as Bardock thrust his glowing hand down on top of Frieza; the resulting explosion blinded and deafened her, sending her flying backwards in a dark and silent spiral. She crashed down to the ground and her senses returned enough that all she could see was a blinding blue flash and all she could hear was an all-encompassing and never-ending roar. She rolled her massive frame around and behind what had to be the last building still standing and she peered from behind it at the towering cylinder of blue light that engulfed everything around where Bardock and Frieza once stood. She raised a massive arm against the biting wind and briefly closed her eyes; she could hardly believe what she was seeing anyway. The ground beneath her feet was shaking violently from the residual force of the explosion.

The massive wall of light suddenly vanished and her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open as she took in the sight of the massive hole left in the wake of the explosion. It seemed to go on for miles, stretching into the distant and smoky darkness. Arcs of blue lightning lanced back and forth across the emptiness above the crater. She shook her head and glanced around for any sight of Bardock.

_**"UP HERE."**_

She looked up sharply to find the hulking frame of her mate hovering above her, his chest heaving with his exhaustion. She smirked and slowly climbed to her feet, barely suppressing a wince from her burned leg. _**"A BIT OVER-THE-TOP, DON'T YOU THINK? AND WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SANITY."**_

Bardock's jowls twisted into a snarling grin. _**"NOT AT ALL. AND THANK YOU. GETTING THROWN ACROSS A CITY BY A TINY LIZARD IS ENOUGH TO SOBER ANYONE'S MIND."**_

_**"YOU DON'T SAY?" **_Seripa chuckled as he hovered down beside her. _**"WELL DONE ON KILLING THE LIZARD, BY THE WAY. TAKING THAT AT POINT-BLANK…WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?"**_

_**"PLANET-DESTROYING POWER CONCENTRATED ENTIRELY ON ONE PATHETIC ICE-JIN," **_Bardock said with a chuckle.

_**"YOU COULD HAVE BLOWN THE PLANET FROM THE SKY, ALL RIGHT," **_Seripa muttered as she nodded at the dark hole left by Bardock's attack. _**"HAD YOU ATTEMPTED THAT WHILE YOUR CLARITY WAS GONE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STOP YOU." **_She glanced back at him with an arch of one bushy brow.

_**"THERE WAS NEVER ANY DANGER."**_

"You're right!"

Seripa and Bardock jerked around to see a shadowed figure hovering beyond the dark plumes of smoke issuing from the crater below.

"There was never any danger at all." The smoke was suddenly swept away and Frieza came into view, his red eyes narrowed dangerously towards them. "For me, that is. For you…now that's another story!" He vanished, but immediately reappeared between them with his hands outstretched, palms facing towards them. His black and red aura surged to life violently and the two giant apes were both blown away.

"You can never beat me! I am Lord Frieza!" He spun around in midair and fired off a massive red blast into the sky before either Seripa or Bardock could move to stop him. It vanished into the merest of twinkles and he turned to look down at them as they climbed to their feet. Seconds later the moon vanished in a blinding explosion.

"And I can solve this little Oozaru problem quite easily," he said with satisfaction as Seripa and Bardock began to shrink in size.

Within moments Seripa was back to normal, standing shakily on her bruised and bloody legs. Her chest heaved and her eyelids drooped with fatigue as she struggled to glare at Frieza. Even without her injuries the transformation alone could reduce her to unconsciousness, but she stood resolute. She refused to pass out or show any signs of weakness before Frieza. Her heart sank, though, when she heard Bardock give a weary huff and then collapse to the ground. He had pushed his body further than it could go and he was feeling the results.

"You can no longer go on. Kneel before me and pledge your allegiance and I may spare you. Having soldiers such as you would be quite a treat," Frieza crowed as he descended to land in front of Seripa.

Without missing a beat, Seripa jerked her arm up and curled all her fingers into a ball, leaving her middle finger extended in defiance as she glared at the Ice-jin. "Saiyans will never kneel at your feet again, Frieza. We've lived under your thumb long enough. I speak for my brothers and sisters when I say that we will die before we serve you again! Your precious Ginyu Force was annihilated by Saiyans! Even if you kill us now, know that there are still survivors and they will never rest until you have been buried, Frieza. You will never stop the Saiyans!"

Frieza's tail lashed forward and wrapped around her throat, then promptly jerked her face violently into the ground. He lifted her up and held her bloodied face level with his own. He smiled humorlessly as she futilely struggled to tear his tail loose. He loosened his hold so she could breathe and he chuckled.

"'Never stop the Saiyans.' Oh, my dear, I think I am perfectly capable of stopping Saiyans. Even if they all came against me I could end all their lives in an instant. Besides, before I am through, there won't be a single monkey left in the universe. I will have finally realized my ancestors' ambition to eradicate the Saiyans completely from the cosmos. The Ice-jins will reign and I, Lord Frieza, will herald a new dawning age for my people!

"You Saiyans are pathetic." He sneered at her and slapped his hand smartly across her cheeks a few times. "And you're also stupid. You know the odds and yet you blindly rush into battle. Though if you somehow survive, you can come back with incredible power you had never known before. Such is the way of your race, but soon you will be extinct."

"Extinction…sucks when you…think about it," Seripa chuckled and winced. She forced a smile and looked into his eyes. "The Ice-jins will face extinction…and we Saiyans will be the ones who carry out the deed. And I…will be there to do the honors for you…myself."

"So sure of yourself. You really think you'll survive this ordeal? You really think you'll survive this day?" Frieza taunted laughingly.

"Prove me wrong!" Seripa seethed. She refused to show any fear. She refused to admit complete defeat just yet...

"Very well." Frieza tossed her into the air with his tail and raised his hand to aim at her. Just as the beam flashed forward, Bardock appeared between her and the blast, wrapping his arms tight around her. The blast engulfed them both and they vanished into the distance as it rapidly carried them away, Bardock's howl of agony echoing into silence.

A distant explosion lit the horizon and Frieza laughed as he turned to glare at the foundered ship. "Lord Frieza reigns!"

_**DBZ**_

_**(Individual Lies here. As the story progresses we draw closer and closer to Seripa and Bardock's destiny. Now how far the destiny goes is up to chance, but they will go for as long as they can. They are fighters, they are Saiyans, and they are parents. But will they survive? Are they already dead..? I hope you have enjoyed my story and I hope you all continue to read and review.)**_


	17. Sinner's Prayer

_**(Individual Lies here. For this chapter I recommend listening to this song during a certain part of the chapter. You'll know it when you see it, as I am attempting something I've seen done before. I don't think I'll be making a habit of it, I just thought this song accurately reflected the portrayal of Tettuce that I had always had in mind, and felt that I should include it within the chapter for this scene. And if you have never heard of Sully Erna, he is the lead singer of Godsmack and Sinner's Prayer is from his solo album Avalon. All lyrics used within the story belong to Sully Erna and my use of them is purely artistic in nature. O.o)**_

_**Chapter Seventeen: Sinner's**_** Prayer****  
**_  
"What have I done..?  
What have I done..?  
I am sinner...  
H__old my prayers up to the sun  
I am sinner...  
Heavens closed for what I've done  
Heavens closed for what I've done..."  
**Sinner's Prayer-Sully Erna**_

_**DBZ**_

It hadn't been hard to find the battlefield. Everyone had made such a mess of the city that it was far too difficult to miss. Dozens of square miles of city had been leveled; once whole streets and buildings reduced to a mess of rubble and steel for as far as the eye could see. Black craters littered the landscape and Recoome knew that he had missed a hell of a show. But hearing Frieza's ringing laughter in the darkness told him that the threats had been squashed.

He was sore that he had missed out on seeing Seripa dealt with, what with the things she had done to him. He looked down at his body then, his eyes taking in the bloody and torn scraps of his uniform. Bones were protruding through the skin on his left forearm and his right shin. It hurt, but he was no stranger to such pain. It would take more than a single menstruating female Saiyan to defeat him, Recoome. Sure, she had given him quite a beating. But it would never happen again, not if Frieza had killed her. And he was pretty sure Frieza had.

Recoome heaved a pained, weary sigh and drifted forward at a leisurely pace. He hadn't lost much ki when Seripa had beaten him senseless, which was good for him. Using his ki to numb the pain of his injuries was a useful skill to have, and much more so when he had a sufficient level of ki. Plus there was no way he would have been able to walk on his shattered leg, leaving flying his only option for transportation.

He looked around the broken landscape from behind swollen cheeks and eyebrows, wondering if any of his comrades still lived. Surely Burter had been killed shortly after she'd beat him. Or maybe he had fled? Either way without a scouter (because he had foolishly destroyed his) he had no way of knowing whether or not his teammates survived.

"Recoome!"

The red-haired warrior drifted to a stop and looked around for the source of the voice. It had sounded like Junior.

"Down here you lousy oaf!" The voice of the young Ginyu carried authoritatively.

Recoome blinked in confusion and looked down to see Junior and Burter standing over the still form of the Major.

"No! Major Ginyu!" Recoome dropped down and landed lightly beside the body of his leader.

"Oh shut it, Recoome. I'm right here!" Junior said in irritation, a hard glare offered to the red-headed man.

Recoome blinked in confusion as he turned to regard the young man. He quirked a bruised brow at the haughty way that he held himself. Junior had never shown such arrogance before. Nor had he ever spoken as harshly as he had just done. Recoome wasn't stupid, so it dawned on him fairly quickly.

"So you used the secret technique, eh Mage?" Recoome said with a devilish grin. "That's too bad. I had always liked your son. Even if he wasn't really your son, but the son of the body you used to reside in. Even so, he would have made a great long-term Ginyu." He looked down at the lifeless body beneath him grimly.

"You fool. I only ever kept him because I thought maybe he would surpass his father's body one day. He was my spare. Unfortunately, as you have no doubt realized," he said sarcastically, "I have had to resort to my default much sooner than I would have liked. This body is powerful, but it is NOT as powerful as mine had been!" Ginyu seethed.

Burter glanced down at the Major. "Maybe not, Sir. But you are still the strongest of the Ginyu Force. And Tettuce and the others have been dealt with by Frieza. You are second only to Lord Frieza!"

Ginyu turned to regard the tall blue alien with a fierce glare. "Isn't that just dandy? You realize how strong I will have to become to make up for this mess we have here? It never should have happened and you know that Lord Frieza will not be happy that he had to step in. And I am not happy that it was not me who killed Tettuce…" He glared down at the ground silently as his two subordinates stared at him.

"Well, what now, Sir?" asked Recoome quietly.

Ginyu sighed and glanced up at him. "We fall back to base. Frieza is going to destroy this planet shortly and we don't want to be caught in the blast…" He turned and blasted off, heading south.

Recoome and Burter exchanged glances before they took off after the Major.

_**DBZ**_

A bloody and torn hand burst from beneath the hull of the downed ship and the fingers dug into the dirt as Tettuce drew his battered body from beneath the unyielding frame of the ship. The Saiyan warrior's black and red armor cracked and crumbled, pieces dropping from his body with each move he made. Finally pulling his legs free, he rolled onto his back and lay panting, his eyes closed in pain and exertion. The entire left breast plate and shoulder strap had flaked away, leaving cracked and jagged edges surrounding his lower torso and his right chest and shoulder. But even those pieces had gaping holes all over.

He knew that he was lucky to be alive and he was thankful to still be alive, even if it was only going to be for a few more minutes. Saving the ship from destruction by using every last ounce of his ki poured into a powerful ki barrier had drained him of everything. He hadn't felt this lousy since he had fought against Ginyu and Recoome all those years ago.

Frieza's ki swelled over the battlefield and he knew his days were numbered. He had gone as far as he could and Frieza had finally gotten him in his grasp. And what better way than to be as injured as he was now?

He smiled grimly and opened his eyes to stare up at the sky. He jerked up straight and climbed to his feet as he heard Seripa's weary voice say defiantly to Frieza:

"Extinction…sucks when you…think about it. The Ice-jins will face extinction…and we Saiyans will be the ones to carry out the deed! And I…will be there to do the honors for you…myself."

"So sure of yourself. You really think you'll survive this ordeal? You really think you'll survive this day?" Frieza said tauntingly, a cruel laugh following.

Tettuce stared in horror as Seripa seethed, "Prove me wrong!"

"Very well!"

And Tettuce watched in further horror as Bardock appeared just as Frieza launched a killing blast. It carried them away into the distance, Bardock's pained howl ringing in his ears, and he knew that Frieza had just killed them both.

"Tettuce!"

The weary warrior lifted his head and turned to see Aurah running toward him. He threw his arms around her the second she reached him and hugged her so tight he might've crushed the life out of her. But he had waited so long to see her, let alone hold her; he had to indulge himself while he still had a chance.

"Aurah…oh sweet Aurah, how I have missed you," he breathed into her white tendrils of hair.

She smiled and looked up at him. "My love…" Suddenly her eyes hardened and became urgent. "Come! We must leave now! Frieza has destroyed Gylder and all its inhabitants. He will kill us now if we do not leave!"

Tettuce smiled sadly and shook his head. "If we leave now, he will destroy us as we flee. Aurah…I must fight against him while you head to safety."

"No! You must come with us! Please, Tettuce!"

A distant explosion lit up the horizon and Tettuce closed his eyes grimly. "Seripa and Bardock are dead. As well as Amotto, Zether, and Falmer. Leave now while you still can," he said quietly as he opened his eyes.

"I cannot leave you, Love! I will not!" Aurah said defiantly, her blue eyes shimmering with glistening silver tears that threatened to fall.

_"Lord Frieza reigns!"_

Tettuce jerked his attention towards Frieza and grimaced. "Aurah, leave now! Please!"

The white-haired woman turned to look at Frieza and then immediately back to Tettuce. She stared at him wide-eyed, knowing exactly what his fate was. And knowing that kept her feet from moving. She shook her head firmly and the tears glistened in two streams that coursed down her pale, shimmering cheeks.

"No! I will die with you!"

Tettuce turned and grabbed her arm roughly, his eyes burning into hers. "You will leave, Aurah. You still have too much to do to die here for me. I am not worth the lives of Saiyans and Gylderians that still need you. So you _will _leave Jynn-jin 13. And you will leave right now!"

"Highness…"

Tettuce and Aurah glanced sideways to see Broco carrying Turles' limp form across his shoulder.

"Tettuce is right. We have to do this."

Aurah looked between Broco and Tettuce, her tears still falling freely. "Please, Tettuce…I…I can't lose you, too," she all-but whimpered.

Her mate narrowed his eyes. "You won't lose a thing, Aurah. I'm not something that you will ever lose, even if I die. Now for the last time, get the hell out of here! Please!"

Aurah flinched as he pleaded with her and she looked away for a moment. But it was brief before she lunged on him and planted her lips against his in a fierce and passionate kiss. Broco looked away awkwardly.

After a moment they broke apart and Aurah closed her eyes as she drew away from him. "Please come back, Love…Please…"

Tettuce looked down slowly. He could feel Frieza's eyes on the back of his head and he knew that the lizard was aware of everything that was transpiring. So Tettuce's next words were what probably triggered his fit of laughing: "I will," Tettuce lied. And he saw the way Aurah's smile faltered and the light in her eyes dim as they opened and he knew that he'd been caught. She knew he was lying.

But Aurah forced a quivering smile and continued backing away from him. She had known better than to ask him that one impossible request. Frieza was going to kill Tettuce. And she was being forced to accept that. She swallowed a growing lump in her throat and turned away to sprint back into the ship.

Broco stared after her and then glanced at the battered Saiyan warrior. "Turles won't be happy about any of this when he wakes up. I'll do my best to guide him as a true warrior." He smiled bitterly and turned his single eye upon the teenager across his shoulders. "Though my best may not be enough."

Tettuce chuckled grimly. "I trust you, Broco. Though weak when I first met you, I knew you had potential. I wasn't wrong. Now go."

Broco nodded and his smiled faded. "I had made an assumption about you before I met you, Sir. I just want to tell you that before…while I still have a chance. I had assumed you to be a blood-thirsty fighter based upon your nicknames. I believe I understand a little more now, Sir. You can be…but you are far more than what any of our peers have managed. Good luck, Lord Tettuce."

Tettuce turned away from him as he hurried into the ship with Turles. His gaze locked onto the still laughing form of Frieza and his onyx eyes narrowed menacingly. The lizard knew what they were attempting. What he didn't know was that Tettuce was going to ensure that their attempt succeeded. He glanced to his left, to the east, and barely suppressed a grin as he spotted the gleaming second moon of Jynn-jin 13 rapidly rising over the horizon. The first one being destroyed had apparently upset the gravitational rotation of the second as it was spinning slowly, but quickly rising into view.

Tettuce had not become an Oozaru in a long time. Not since he had been a child. His mentor, Turpin, had forbid him from ever resorting to that measure. At the time he had been told that it was to allow him to push his natural state beyond its limits by taking on foes that would normally require one to become an Oozaru. Now though he knew the real reason why: his temper. It was his one vice that he had always known would result in his demise.

Frieza was far more powerful than he was. It was a power he should have been able to sense before the tyrant had arrived. But in his uncontrollable state he had been unaware of anything except causing pain and using his power to kill. He could recall vague flashes of it, but for the most part he didn't remember it. He just knew certain details had transpired, like when he had beaten Seripa. He did not remember the actual act but he knew that he had done it and that it had been violent.

So what would happen if he became an Oozaru? Would he become that murderous monster that was so hell-bent on destruction? Or would he, with his decades of combat experience and ki control, be able to control the state and take on Frieza with an insane power no Saiyan had known in centuries?

The ship hummed to life behind him and the metal groaned as it rose into the air. The ship settled noisily back into its normal shape, and loose plates rattled and vibrated all across the hull and belly. Not to mention Tettuce could hear the roar of the engines from the hole in the bottom. He grimaced but kept his eyes locked on Frieza as the ship rose higher.

"I assume you know that I will not allow them to leave, right?" the lizard asked with a smirk.

The Saiyan growled low in his throat. "I assume you know that I will not allow you to leave, right?"

Frieza's smile persisted for several seconds, before suddenly fading. He stared on in bewildered confusion as the grinning Saiyan's teeth began to elongate and his black eyes suddenly shone red. Coarse brown fur began to sprout from the skin of his cheeks and from the cracks of his destroyed armor. Frieza's own red eyes suddenly darted around for the moon and he found it emerging from behind a bank of clouds to the east. He had almost forgotten that there was a second moon orbiting this miserable rock.

He breathed a sigh of relief and thrust his hand forward in an attempt to destroy it. But Tettuce's transformation ended quicker than he expected and the massive Saiyan stepped between the Ice-jin and the moon that was still spiraling into the sky above them, all the while seeming to grow larger as the moments passed.

Frieza blinked in shock but he quickly regained his wits and smiled thinly. "Another monkey to try and take me on."

"_**A BIGGER, STRONGER MONKEY THAN YOU'VE EVER FACED BEFORE, FRIEZA." **_Tettuce laughed, his voice echoing boomingly in the silent air. _**"WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED IT THAT I WOULD RETAIN CLARITY? MURDEROUS CLARITY THAT IS…" **_He chuckled evilly, his voice rumbling in his throat as he knelt down before Frieza, his red eyes narrowing as the Oozaru looked upon his prey closely. _**"I KNOW YOU FRIEZA. I KNOW THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE. I ALSO KNOW YOUR POWER LEVEL, LIZARD. HEH HEH, AND WITHOUT A SCOUTER AT THAT. AND GUESS WHAT ELSE YOU MISERABLE REPTILE?" **_The massive Saiyan's voice thundered as he roared at Frieza.

The Ice-jin merely quirked a brow and placed both hands on his hips as he stared questioningly at the Oozaru. "What is it, Tettuce?"

Tettuce grinned, twisting his lips menacingly so that it was almost a snarl. _**"I CAN TELL YOU MY POWER LEVEL IS MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF YOURS RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL DIE TODAY!"**_

Behind him the ship passed between them and the moon, momentarily blotting out the orb's light. Tettuce ignored it as it suddenly shot away at full speed, heading straight into space. Frieza glared after it, but returned his gaze quickly to Tettuce.

"I highly doubt that, Saiyan. You are trash, and trash will never be stronger than Lord Frieza. Take this!" He lunged forward to strike Tettuce in his jaw…

But the Saiyan drove his head down, slamming against Frieza and throwing him violently to the ground. Tettuce brought both hands up above his head, his furred hands curling into tight fists, and then brought them slamming down on top of Frieza, continuously beating him into the ground.

"_**THIS NIGHT YOU WILL LEARN THE WRATH OF SAIYANS! THIS NIGHT YOU WILL BE SQUASHED LIKE THE LITTLE LIZARD YOU ARE!" **_Tettuce never let up. His fists continued to hammer raining blows onto Frieza's unprotected body. He never looked down, but at this point he was ready to assume that he had splattered Frieza into pieces.

A purple barrier suddenly sprung from Frieza and threw Tettuce backwards to slam on his back violently into the ground.

Tettuce climbed quickly to his feet and he glared at the barrier-enshrouded Ice-jin. He smirked as he noticed that Frieza was breathing heavily and blood was trickling from above his eyes, from his nose, from the corners of his lips, and his chest was covered with dark bruises. His armor had been completely obliterated.

"_**YOU TOOK QUITE A BEATING. AND YET YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH LEFT TO MANAGE A COUNTER. BUT WHAT NOW, FRIEZA? I CAN SEE YOU'RE HEAVILY BEATEN. YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE TONIGHT!"**_

Frieza remained silent as he glared across the sky at the gigantic Saiyan nuisance, his teeth bared and clenched tightly together as his forehead wrinkled fiercely with his fury. His red eyes sparked dangerously for a moment before his forehead smoothed and his jaw loosened. His clenched fists opened slowly and he took in a breath which he immediately exhaled as he closed his eyes. His entire frame slackened as he relaxed his body. He hovered in silence like that, his guard completely open to Tettuce.

Normally he would have exploited that, but he was stunned into curiosity by Frieza's actions. He narrowed his glowing eyes as he regarded the Ice-jin warily. What was he up to?

Frieza's eyes opened and he stared at the Saiyan without expression. His red eyes, normally cold and calculating, gleamed with barely-suppressed murderous fury.

"It will take more than that, Tettuce," Frieza slowly said in a calm, quiet tone, "to defeat Lord Frieza."

Tettuce scoffed. _**"BLUFFING WON'T SAVE YOU, FRIEZA."**_

Frieza suddenly smirked and tucked his arms to his sides, his fists curling tightly closed. "Miserable Saiyan. You brought this upon yourself!" His torso suddenly stretched upward, and his shoulders and arms bulged ridiculously so that his upper body began to topple forward on his tiny legs. His chest bulged, too and then suddenly his legs stretched and bulged ridiculously. An explosion of light spread from around his body and dust flew up to conceal his form.

Tettuce frowned and started walking towards the dust enshrouded Frieza. What had he just done? For a moment it looked like he had been transforming his body…but that was absurd. If Frieza was capable of transforming then the power he could generate…it would be frightening!

The dust was suddenly swept away and Tettuce's heart stopped as he spotted the figure glaring heatedly at him. Two bull-like horns stretched towards the sky from atop the head of a strong-featured taller version of the diminutive tyrant. He would have towered over the Saiyan in his normal form, easily standing ten or more feet tall. Tettuce could see that it was Frieza, because he looked more or less the same. Except it seemed like he had gone from being a child to an adult in seconds, his power rising comparatively.

Frieza grinned. "You're the first outside of my family to see this form. You should be honored, Tettuce. I am sure the fear is sinking in now, but before you become too hopeless I should tell you this: I will finish you with but a mere fraction of my power and then you will know that you never stood a chance!"

Tettuce glared silently at Frieza, but with a smirk curling his lips. _**"I CAN TELL THAT YOUR POWER HAS RISEN. BUT I AM STILL STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL YOU, FRIEZA! AND I WILL, YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT." **_The massive Saiyan suddenly sprinted forward, his over-sized furred legs hammering down onto the ground as he ran.

Frieza chuckled and his arms flashed in front of his body in a criss-crossing fashion. Arcs of white and purple light flashed from the criss-crossing and slammed into Tettuce repeatedly, his body jerking back and forth under the heavy attack from the Ice-jin. After a few moments Frieza ceased the repetitive attack and folded his arms across his chest with a satisfied smirk.

Tettuce's torso lurched forward and he chuckled quietly. _**"IS THAT THE BEST YOU'VE GOT? THAT STUNG ABOUT AS MUCH AS THE STING OF A BEE!" **_He lunged forward suddenly and drove his massive fist into Frieza's body, slamming him down into the ground. Tettuce then began to repeatedly drive his fists in rapid punches down onto Frieza, continuously driving the lizard further and further down into the ground.

"_**I AM TIRED OF YOU FRIEZA! YOU WILL ROT IN HELL WHEN THIS DAY IS THROUGH AND THE UNIVERSE WILL BREATHE EASIER KNOWING THAT YOU ARE DEAD!" **_The enraged Oozaru that was Tettuce roared thunderously, his voice trumpeting ferociously as he continued his onslaught. The ground was caving beneath them and had opened up to the sewers beneath the city. And still he rained heavy blows down onto the defenseless Ice-jin, intent on squashing him into oblivion.

"_**YOU PATHETIC ICE-JIN! IF THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO AGAINST ME AT MY BEST, THEN YOU TRULY DESERVE TO BE PUT DOWN LIKE THE DOG YOU ARE!" **_Tettuce taunted growlingly.

"You are too right." Tettuce instantly froze in mid-punch and his red eyes widened in surprise; the voice had come from just over his shoulder. He quickly spun around to attack, only for Frieza to slam both talon feet into the massive jaw of the Oozaru, sending him crashing back through the ground, underground pipes crumbling beneath his hulking mass. He thrust both hands forward and fired a massive blast into the beast's chest, which exploded and sent the giant ape tumbling upwards through the air.

Tettuce roared in irritation as he flew uncontrollably through the air. His massive hulking frame slammed into the ground thunderously and he immediately sprang back up to his feet, the shaking from his landing still going strong. He threw his head back and roared defiantly, hammering his fists against his chest challengingly.

"Mark my words, Tettuce. You will die today and all this fighting will have been for nothing!" Frieza laughed evilly. "Ultimately you will have wasted your wretched life in a useless fight against me. You will be remembered as a fool for centuries to come!"

"_**THE ONES THAT KNOW THE TRUTH WILL MAKE SURE TO SPREAD IT!" **_Tettuce roared before he thrust both hands forward and fired off a massive red blast at Frieza. _**"INFERNO BUSTER!"**_

Frieza turned away from the blast for an instant, then immediately spun around to slam his foot against it…his foot trembled against the blast and he grimaced as he struggled to force it away. He hadn't expected resistance…but now he was caught in a struggle: the blast pushing against his leg and his leg struggling to force the blast away.

Tettuce narrowed his eyes and roared as he poured more ki into the blast, a swelling surge shooting the length and slamming into Frieza's leg violently. It threatened to overwhelm the Ice-jin, and for an instant concern flashed across Frieza's features…but his other leg came up and slammed into the blast next to his other leg and it was sent careening up into the sky.

"_**DAMN IT!" **_Tettuce cursed with a roar. _**"YOU WILL DIE, FRIEZA!" **_

An explosion lit up the sky and Tettuce spun around in horror to see the fading light of the blast…and no moon. He quickly spun back around to face Frieza. _**"NOT YET! INFERNO BUSTER!" **_He thrust both shrinking arms forward and while his form shrank slowly he fired off the massive red blast again. He grimaced as it flew through the air because he could feel the ki level of the blast was less than what it had been previously. By the time it reached Frieza he was back in his normal form, struggling to suck air into his lungs.

Frieza laughed cruelly and flicked his tail at the oncoming blast, too-easily knocking it back towards the Saiyan.

Tettuce's eyes widened as he watched his own attack fly back at him, momentarily frozen in shock. He had still been able to put a fair amount of ki into that blast, and yet Frieza had still easily overwhelmed it...He suddenly remembered the blast and immediately lunged sideways to his right, just barely avoiding being struck by it; it slammed into the ground not more than fifty feet behind him and the exploding force flung him forward into the ground, face-first.

He winced in pain as he pushed himself up, the dust from the explosion billowing around him. He suddenly jerked upright as he realized that Frieza had landed just a few feet in front of him. Tettuce spread his feet and brought his arms up defensively, his chest still heaving as he regarded the lizard.

"You still try to fight. You Saiyans are a senseless bunch. I suppose it is a good thing that you are almost extinct."

"Anyone facing death will continue to fight despite the odds. I'd rather die fighting than die without trying!" Tettuce growled angrily, his fists trembling.

"I suppose you're correct. I know I wouldn't stand by and let someone kill me," Frieza said with a chuckle. "So I suppose it makes sense. But it's all pointless in the end, for you will die now." He lifted his hand up and pointed his index finger towards the Saiyan.

"NO!" A golden fist slammed into Frieza's cheek and he staggered back as Zether, still in his black haired form, landed between the tyrant and Tettuce. "It's not over until we're both dead!" he cried defiantly as he dropped back into a stance beside his rival.

Tettuce grinned and glanced at Zether out of the corner of his eye. "And here I thought you'd been killed."

Zether smirked back, his red eyes cutting sharply towards the Saiyan. "I know the odds of us having a round two are below zero so I figured fighting _with_ you one last time would have to suffice."

"Fair enough." The two warriors faced the annoyed Ice-jin as he folded his arms across his chest. "So I assume you have a plan?"

"No, not really." Zether laughed bitterly. "Can't find much reason to try and formulate a decent plan, to be honest. I can sense his power as well as you, so I know that if you and I survive this assault it's only because he let us."

"You're too right," Tettuce said quickly as he dropped back defensively. "Then again, not that he would have given us the time!"

Frieza lunged forward, blurring out of sight. Zether's head snapped sideways and he was suddenly flying away. Tettuce didn't even have time to turn to where the attack had taken place before his head snapped back and his jaw was instantly on fire. A blow to his stomach sent him sailing backwards at what seemed like the speed of light.

"NO!" Tettuce's red aura exploded to life and he swung his legs backward to slam down into the ground, fighting against the momentum of Frieza's powerful blow; the ground exploded beneath his ki-empowered feet as he slid backwards rapidly, his dark eyes darting all around as he searched for Frieza's quickly moving ki.

"Right here."

Tettuce jerked his head around to find Frieza casually skimming along the ground beside him. The information had barely soaked into his brain before stars were dancing before his eyes from a crushing blow to his nose, and he was sailing in an entirely new direction.

Zether appeared behind him and caught him, the force of his momentum transferring enough to cause both of them to skim backwards for several feet before finally stopping. Tettuce pulled away and shook his pounding head as blood trickled from both nostrils.

"You look like you're getting your ass kicked," smirked the Gylderian.

"Like you're doing any better," the Saiyan shot back, casting a scowl at the younger man.

"I just haven't hit my stride, yet. I'll throw him a beating here in just a minute." Zether cocked an eyebrow and grinned.

Tettuce chuckled. "I'm sure you will. In fact, let's put a rush delivery on that. Come on!" His red aura burst to life as he suddenly shot toward the Ice-jin hovering above them. Zether appeared at his side, his own black aura burning intensely as they raced at top-speed at the tyrant.

They both flew up to him and dove into head-on attacks: Tettuce swung around to deliver a twisting roundhouse kick to Frieza's exposed neck; Zether drove his fist forward into his jaw. Both attacks connected with sonic-boom force, but neither attack had any effect on the tyrant.

As the two warriors gaped in surprise, Frieza smirked and glanced between their stunned faces. "My, my. You two look as if you have seen the Grim Reaper." He grinned and then laughed. "Then again, I suppose you have. Going up against me, and all."

Tettuce and Zether sprang back and took up immediate defensive postures.

"You've got it all backwards, Frieza," said Zether with a sudden, strained, grin. "We ain't gonna be the ones dying tonight."

"I'm with my stubborn companion here," Tettuce said with a low chuckle and a glance to the younger man.

"You two are fools. I will wipe you from the face of this planet in but an instant. You won't even know it happened until you wake up in the afterlife!" Frieza stepped forward and thrust his hands towards the two warriors, firing off a massive red blast at them.

Zether suddenly drove his elbow sideways into Tettuce's side, knocking him to the ground and out of the way. He turned to face the blast and spread his arms wide as it slammed into him full-on. He threw his head back and screamed in pain and defiance as the intense energy vaporized his armor and his under armor from his body.

Tettuce picked himself up and looked up in time to see the skin and muscles be torn from the young man's bones, and his eyes widened as the bones faded to dust under the force of Frieza's attack. The beam vanished and nothing, not even a single hair, remained of the valiant warrior Zether.

Tettuce remained on bended knee as he stared at the spot his greatest rival had recently occupied and he felt his will to fight shatter into pieces. He could no longer go on and he knew it. Good had lost this fight to evil…

_**{To love the right…Yet do so wrong}**_

He couldn't stop himself from wondering just how his life had brought him to this point. He knew without a doubt that it was his own fault. That he had brought this end upon himself for the countless innocent lives he'd ended, he'd so callously destroyed.

_**{To be the weak…Yet burn to be so strong}**_

Everything he had done was not for strength and he knew it. He had desired to be the strongest no matter what, but killing innocents for sheer joy as he had on innumerable occasions had been pointless. He had served Frieza whole-heartedly and had taken joy from it in his younger years. His mentor Turpin had watched helplessly as his greatest student used his power for murdering and pillaging. But Tettuce hadn't cared.

_**{Go rider…Although your ride has been through life}**_

Tettuce remembered everything that had happened that day on the distant planet his parents had attempted to take refuge on. He remembered the alien invaders and all the screaming and dying that had followed. He could never forget, not for as long as he lived, the way his parents had died and his reaction following. He remembered because he had been completely conscious of his actions, and aware of exactly what he did. Even when he had mercilessly slaughtered his own kind he had been aware. He had killed them because his parents were dead and they weren't. He wanted them to be dead like his parents, so that he wouldn't have to see someone else with parents.

His sanity had snapped from seeing his parents murdered before his eyes. He remembered the moment his brother tried to stop him and he had blown his stomach apart from the inside; conjuring a ki blast within his brother's stomach had been the first moment he'd really thought about what he'd been doing. It wasn't until after he'd snatched his brother's eyes out that he'd realized what he'd done.

_**{Go rider…See your soul through the devil's eyes}**_

Frieza had used his insanity for his own gain and Tettuce had reveled in it. He had never understood why it suddenly, out of nowhere, started to bother him. Maybe it had been because of Turpin's death…He had admittedly taken it hard. Years had passed before he'd truly gotten over it. Maybe finally coming to grips with his mentor's death had made him realize that what he'd been doing was true evil. As a Saiyan it was difficult to distinguish between evil and instinct sometimes. Instinct drove them to fight and sometimes in fights people died. So if those people died at their hands it shouldn't bother them, because dying happens.

But something had changed in him one day. He had gone almost overnight from being Tettuce the Insane to something the direct opposite. He no longer wanted to serve Frieza and he no longer wanted the Saiyans to serve under Frieza.

_**{If I could live…My life again}**_

He forbid his new protégé, Bardock, from participating in missions and began to appeal to King Vegeta to sever ties with Frieza…to end the treaty that had persisted for decades. That fool Vegeta had adamantly refused…Tettuce should have taken the throne by force when he had had the chance…

_**{Would I live…That life in sin..?}**_

Frieza suddenly appeared in front of him and roundhouse kicked him in the side of the head, sending him sailing through the air…

Time seemed to standstill for Tettuce…He felt weightless, like he was floating as he stared up at the night sky. Frieza was going to kill him. He supposed it was a fate he deserved…He had used his power to overwhelm and destroy weaker and defenseless opponents. He had loved every moment of it, just as Frieza was enjoying taunting and destroying Tettuce slowly…

Frieza would kill him. He would kill him, but first he would toy with him…Just as Tettuce had often toyed with some of the braver warriors who had futilely tried to stand against him…

How many innocents had he killed in his lifetime? He was certain the number was too great not for him to go to Hell…But it was what he ultimately deserved, wasn't it? His treasured time with Aurah had been brief…and it had been a joy that he, Tettuce the Insane, did not deserve. He had strived to make a change…He had tried to become a better person…

But it wasn't enough to allow him to escape Hell…

A smile quirked his lips slowly. Maybe someone upstairs would allow him a second chance…

_**{Go rider…Go right into the night…}**_

Frieza appeared beside him and brought both hands, tightly clasped together, crashing down onto Tettuce's chest…

_**{Go rider…Now see your soul through a woman's eyes…}**_

His time with Aurah…his time with Leta and Surah even…He had gained insights into his own soul being with them…All three of them. Leta…Surah…Aurah…

Who was he? They had shown him the answer to that question many times over. They had each loved him and cared for him…They each knew his past and of the things he had done…Seeing his soul from their point of view had been revealing…

His memories of his parents were few…but what he could remember, he knew that they had both been peaceful people…They were Saiyans, but they weren't Vegeta's Saiyans…

Maybe Leta, another non-Vegeta Saiyan, had noticed it first…She had been born and raised on Gylder her entire life away from Planet Vegeta and Frieza and his planet-trade. Maybe she could see something that Tettuce couldn't…Maybe his insanity…maybe his rage and anger had all been a front…?

Was he denying the truth…? Had he blinded himself to what was really going on…?

_**{I am a sinner…Hold my prayers up to the sun…}**_

Turpin…He had tried to steer Tettuce right.

Tettuce regretted not listening to his mentor more…He had tried to teach him the peaceful ways of the Clerics of the Old World. But Tettuce…had it been his teenage rebellion that had made him push his mentor, the closest thing to a father he had, away?

Was that what the girls had seen? They had seen a trapped teenager who had gotten in way over his head by pushing his only guidance away…He had entrapped himself and he had refused to admit it, even to himself. He had brought this all upon himself…

_**{I am a sinner…Heaven's closed for what I've done…}**_

His own stubbornness had brought about his downfall…What would things be like if he had allowed Turpin to train him as a Cleric…? Clerics were said to be the only ones capable of becoming Super Saiyans…Had he listened to Turpin then it was possible that the two of them could have discovered the secret to becoming one…

_**{What have I done…? What have I done…?}**_

But instead…Instead of being familiar with the ancient texts as memorized by Turpin...He was haunted by the faces of the ones he had killed. He lost sleep from being haunted by murders he committed. Tiny, innocent faces stared up at him with big, pleading eyes. Silently they asked him why they had to die. They asked what they had ever done to him. They never spoke to him because the looks in their eyes always said everything they wanted to say; and Tettuce was certain they knew that their silence unsettled him horribly. They tortured his cursed soul and he accepted it without question. He knew better than anyone that he deserved the torment.

_**{What have I done…?}**_

Turpin had warned him at an early age that they would have to do things they wouldn't like…But he hadn't counted on Tettuce actually taking joy in the things they were forced to do. He had wanted the boy to become enraged that they were actually forced to kill innocents…But instead he had actually reveled in it…

Had he really enjoyed it back then…? Maybe at first due to its taboo and violent nature…To rebel against Turpin as much as he could, when he could…But had he always loved it…? Was it really so sudden that he had come to hate the things he had done…?

_**{I am a sinner…}**_

He was an evil man who had done evil things…Or was he a foolish man who had done evil things..? Women he raped…children he slaughtered…warriors he massacred…Had he felt any true joy during all that?

_**{Hold my prayers up to the sun…}**_

He liked to think that he hadn't. But he could never truly be sure…He knew he would be haunted by the faces of the people he had killed…

_**{I am a sinner…}**_

"Pathetic Saiyan…"

Tettuce opened his eyes and looked up at Frieza as he towered over him. He was surprised to find himself lying on his back staring up at the black sky.

"That fire you had before has gone out I see. That is too bad." Frieza smirked and knelt down beside the silent Saiyan. "If you can go no further, then I suppose I have no choice but to end this once and for all."

Tettuce didn't respond. He had nothing left to say to Frieza…He merely turned his head away from the tyrannical lizard. He would accept the fate he so very much deserved…

_**{Heaven's closed for what I've done…}**_

He could continue to fight…but he was so tired of living with the memories of the pain he had caused. He supposed he should consider himself a weakling for no longer being able to stomach the atrocities of his past…But truth be told he had never been able to stomach them. Why else would he retch all over himself as soon as he was in his pod…?

Tettuce had never been evil…Foolish, but never evil…

_**{Heaven's closed…}**_

"I hope you enjoy Hell, Saiyan."

A light flashed above him and he briefly felt the heat of an approaching beam, immediately followed by a searing, piercing pain as Frieza's killing beam blew through his chest, exploding his heart.

_**{For what I've done…} **_

"For what I've done…Hell is too kind…" he breathed a quiet whisper as his dark eyes dimmed slowly and then closed for the final time.

_**DBZ**_

_**(Individual Lies here. Of the original characters I created in this story, Tettuce was my favorite. I will miss writing him. Rest in peace, Tettuce.) **_


	18. Far From Home

_**(Due to the graphic and suggestive nature of this chapter, reader discretion is advised.) **_

_**Chapter Eighteen- Far From Home  
**__  
"Another day in this carnival of souls  
Another night's sands end as quickly as it goes  
The memories are shadows, ink on the page  
And I can't seem to find my way home_

And it's almost like your heaven's trying everything  
Your heaven's trying everything to keep me out

All the places I've been and things I've seen  
A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams  
The faces of people I'll never see again  
And I can't seem to find my way home."  
**Far From Home-Five Finger Death Punch**

_**DBZ**_

_**Eight years ago…**_

Tettuce landed violently, the ground cratering beneath his bulk, and his red aura vanishing with a loud _crack!_ He yanked his black helmet off as a Gylderian guard approached him, it immediately condensing down to its portable state.

"Where are they?" the Saiyan immediately demanded as he stepped out of the crater, his tone barely concealing the fear that his eyes could not hide. He stowed the black metal plate into his armor.

"Lt. Major Tettuce-"

"Stow it. Where the hell are they?" he roared in impatience.

"This way." The guard turned and hurried towards a line of trees fifty yards away, Tettuce immediately following.

"What happened?" Tettuce asked as he matched his pace with the guard.

The man turned his slightly luminescent green eyes to the Saiyan. "Cooler's squadron showed up here. They attacked the Princess and Lady Leta while they were out enjoying the landscape. Leta did her best to fend them off, but they drastically overpowered her. If it wasn't for Spark they would both be dead…" The guard trailed off and lowered his gaze from Tettuce's. "General Spark died defending them, killing himself and three of the members. But Captain Falmer was able to drive the last one away. The Princess…she might not make it, Major. A local shaman is trying to save her, but it doesn't look good."

Tettuce looked sharply at him. "Why hasn't she been taken to a rejuvenation chamber, then?" He regretted that Spark had been killed. He owed the man for his own current power level. He had taught him much in the brief time he had known the man.

The guard glanced away, keeping his gaze averted from the Saiyan's. "Sauza, the last of the Squadron, damaged our ship, Sir. The chambers are all out of commission. This was our only option."

"Gods damn it. Then I'll take her to _my _ship when it lands!"

The guard came to a sudden stop and grabbed Tettuce's arm to stall him. The Saiyan rounded on him angrily, but the guard spoke quickly, saying, "Sir, that won't be an option. She is barely clinging to life as it is. If…if we chance moving her, she may slip away completely."

Tettuce stared at the guard blankly, his mind grinding to a stop. What then…? He suddenly looked toward the line of trees as Falmer came rushing towards them. He shook free of the guard and hurried to meet him.

"Falmer! Tell me what is happening!"

The Gylderian faltered and then stopped completely. His face looked haggard and drawn, his normally luminescent eyes dim. He shook his head slowly and sighed. "Tettuce…I'm sorry, but Surah…She…She just passed."

Tettuce froze in mid-step, his blood freezing in his veins and his mind grinding to a halt. Surah...gone? But no, that couldn't be possible. It just couldn't be!

He lunged forward and grabbed Falmer's arm in a deathgrip, his onyx gaze blazing as he glared into the Gylderian's dim eyes. "That can't be! You're wrong! She's not dead! She's NOT!"

Falmer winced as Tettuce's grip tightened around his arm. "I'm sorry Tettuce...But she is. Her...her heart stopped beating. She stopped breathing..." He shook his head slowly and sadly as he trailed, slowly and gently prying the Saiyan's fingers from around his bicep.

A bright white light suddenly shone from beyond the trees and there were several voices crying out in surprise a short distance away. Tettuce released his grip on Falmer's arm and shielded his eyes from the radiance and Falmer looked over his shoulder in surprise. "What the...?" He was at a loss to what that could have been. His eyes widened at a sudden thought: what if Sauza had returned? Only he had proven strong enough to handle the Squadron member after his father had died; the other guards would be at the Ice-jin soldier's mercy!

He suddenly spun around and immediately sprinted into the forest, heading back the way he had come from. Tettuce hesitated for but an instant and then followed. Within seconds he was in a clearing, running into a tiny village of huts made out of bamboo-like reeds lashed together. He paid them little mind as he followed the Gylderian warrior to where a crowd of short, red aliens and Gylderian guards were gathered around one single hut. The Saiyan barely noticed that the aliens, male and female, all looked nearly identical with their short tufts of white hair atop their otherwise bald heads. All he noticed was the fading light that was glowing from within the tiny hut.

He followed Falmer as the man pushed his way through the crowd and disappeared into the hut. Tettuce was barely an instant behind him. He almost plowed him over as he found the man standing just inside the hut, stunned into silence and awe as he stared at a glowing silver figure that was slowly gathering herself to her feet.

Tettuce stood beside Falmer as he stared in bewildered awe at the beautiful dread-locked white-haired woman now standing with her arms outstretched and her head held back. For a moment he thought the woman was Surah…Then he thought she was Leta…

The woman opened her eyes and blue pinpoints of light found their way to Tettuce…And the woman smiled as her arms fell slowly to her sides.

"Tettuce…"

"Who are you?" he asked before he could stop himself. The woman was more beautiful than any woman he had ever before seen. She was wearing a gold and silver vest that just barely concealed her glistening breasts, and a pair of gold and silver loose-fitting breeches. Her boots, like the rest of her ensemble, were gold and silver.

She grinned and touched her glowing hand to her silver chest, her delicate-looking fingers wrapping lightly around a silver oval locket as a metallic silver and brown tail slowly wrapped around her waist. "I am Aurah. Tettuce, this was the only way that I could save Surah. This shaman," her free hand indicated a pale red alien with a thick white beard stretching to the ground, "used his magic and enchanted Surah's locket." She released the pendant and it slowly faded away, vanishing completely within seconds.

Tettuce blinked his eyes for a moment then shook his head and stuttered, "Wait…what…what are you talking about? What are you telling me?"

The woman laughed her melodious voice like the fall of rain drops on chimes. "Leta and Surah are no more. I…am the fused form of the Saiyan Leta and the Gylderian Surah."

Tettuce looked to the weary shaman and then to Falmer, but the man merely shrugged, his features twisted in bewilderment. "Fused? You…they're…what?" He shook his head again, at a loss for words, and looked back at the beautiful woman still glowing brightly before them.

Aurah laughed again and stepped forward to stand in front of him, her head tilted back as she looked up into his dark eyes. "Surah was almost dead when this Metamorian shaman suggested that Leta fuse with her to save her life. Normally there is a process that two people must undergo in order for a fusion to work—a dance of sorts. But given the gravity of the situation, he was forced to use his magic to force-fuse us. It was a choice made out of desperation. Especially…" her smile faded slightly and she lowered her eyes for a moment. Her smile split into a grin and she looked back up at him. "Especially considering that this process may be permanent…Leta and Surah are most likely gone for good…"

Tettuce took in a breath and glanced around at Falmer. He met his gaze, a faint smile quirking the corners of his lips. He frowned slightly and then looked back to the woman, Aurah. "They're…gone?"

"But their love still remains, Tettuce…Love." She giggled and stepped forward to wrap her slender arms around his tense frame.

He swallowed, but his arms wrapped around her and Tettuce all-but crushed her into his chest…

_**DBZ**_

_**Present day…**_

Broco sat on the floor of the bridge with his back against a wall as he stared silently at Aurah with his single eye. Since the ship had left Jynn-jin 13 she had sat in silence on her throne, her eyes dull and cast down to the floor. Her silence infected the rest of the bridge, spreading from there to the rest of the ship…

They had traveled for nearly a week now and in that time Aurah had been silent and still. The only time she had ever moved was to go to her quarters when she was ready to sleep. Other than that, she sat like stone, still in her throne and obviously lost in thoughts of Tettuce. He doubted whether or not she had even eaten in that time.

Broco lowered his gaze from Aurah and suppressed a sigh. Tettuce had told her that Seripa and Bardock were dead. As well as Zether, his brother Falmer, and Amotto…And now Tettuce, too, had joined that too-long list. A movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention from Aurah to where his sister, Etapa, was sitting at a console. She had merely shifted her weight, but a look of discomfort had come across her features. Frowning, Broco glanced around to where he saw her eyes cut sharply and he spotted Turles leaning stoically in the arched doorway leading off of the bridge. The youth's gaze was locked on Aurah, a look of faint concern shining from the darkness of his eyes.

Broco smiled slightly. The boy had changed in the last year. He was no longer the teenager that had let madness and power drive him onward. He was still a teenager, but he was now more man than child. He had proven himself braver than Broco had originally thought him capable. He had taken it upon himself without question to defend the ship, even while his blood flowed freely from a near-fatal wound. Turles was lucky that he had not died in that foolhardy act, but he had proven himself to the crew aboard the ship.

But Etapa's sudden discomfort confused Broco. He looked back to his sister and narrowed his eye…and he had to suppress a grin when he noticed that her cheeks were flushed with a spreading pink hue. Ah, so that was the way of it. He couldn't complain—Etapa could have chosen worse men to fall for. And Turles was closer to her age than any other Saiyan male that he knew; she was just barely twenty and Turles was eighteen by now. He had lost track of the boy's age during their time in captivity. But he had to be either eighteen or nineteen now. Maybe a bit younger, but he was still far more mature than he had been the previous year.

Sudden movement from Aurah drew his attention back to her in surprise, and he watched as she stood up straight and tall from her throne. He quickly climbed to his feet and approached her slowly.

Her dim gaze met his and she forced a strained smile, her lips quivering with barely suppressed emotion. "Broco…" Her voice faltered and she took a breath to steady herself. "Broco, gather everyone aboard the ship to the bridge. I have an announcement to make."

"An…announcement?" he asked in confusion. He was vaguely aware that the rest of the bridge, already silent, had turned their attention to the two of them.

But instead of a response to his question, she merely nodded and looked away. He frowned and nodded slowly. "Yes, right away."

It didn't take long, just a quick announcement over the ship's loudspeakers, to gather the rest of the crew aboard the bridge. Broco found himself leaning against the wall with Turles and Etapa on either side of him. Blythe, the Gylderian male who had helped carry Turles aboard Falmer's ship on Jynn-jin 13, was standing beside a red-eyed Sushinae. She had barely stopped crying since the deaths of her brothers; the last of her family. Broco grimaced and looked down to the floor. Too many had died all-too recently…

Aurah, glancing around at everyone gathered aboard the bridge, stood slowly from her throne. She stepped off of the raise dais and paused a few feet from it, closing her eyes. One slender hand reached up to close tightly into a fist against her chest.

"First…I must apologize to you all for the way I have been in recent days. I, admittedly, took…took Tettuce's death hard. As you are all aware he was my mate so it is only to be expected, I suppose. But that does not excuse my actions. I am your Matron and leader first and foremost. My love…my love for Tettuce should not have overshadowed that fact. I apologize to you all and I vow to continue on, stronger than before." She opened her eyes and looked around at them all, silver tears dripping from her eyes. But she was smiling.

"Second, I must explain to you all who I am. I am Aurah, Matron of Gylder. But I am also a Saiyan woman named Leta and a Gylderian woman named Surah. Nearly a decade past Surah was all-but killed in an attack from Cooler's Armored Squadron." Her eyes found Sushinae amongst the gathered and they softened with ancient sorrow. "It was in that attack that famed General Spark lost his life to keep Lady Surah alive. He killed off the majority of the squadron with his final attack, which also cost him his own life. Despite his sacrifice, Surah was gravely injured. She was certain to die."

Broco glanced to his left and then to his right as murmurs of confusion began to spring up. He looked at Aurah as she lifted her free hand for silence. Once all was quiet she continued.

"It was on Planet Metamoria a little more than eight years ago. A local shaman did his best to save Lady Surah as her ship had been damaged to such an extent that the rejuvenation chambers aboard were rendered useless. I—Leta, that is…" she trailed off and looked down with a sigh. "The shaman told Leta of a technique that the Metamorians had developed that allowed two people of equal size and strength to fuse together temporarily. He called it the Fusion Dance. But there was a complication in using that technique to save Surah, and that was that it required both individuals to mirror each other's moves simultaneously. That was impossible for Surah, for she was beyond consciousness and was on death's doorstep. I—we thought all was lost for her. Leta was about to lose her sister…

"Until the Metamorian shaman told her that he could…force-fuse the two of them with his magic. But it would most likely be permanent if done that way, whereas the dance would have only kept us fused for a short time—about a half hour. Leta…" she smiled slightly, her eyes trailing over everyone gathered, but never seeming to see any of them. "Leta decided to sacrifice herself to save her sister, knowing that Surah would have done the same. And she would have, without question. However, it was quickly revealed that the original spell the Metamorian intended would have taken far too long to cast, so he cast a quicker spell; one that he made up on the spot, fusing us together. However," she suddenly grinned and chuckled quietly, "Leta had him enchant Surah's family locket to keep us fused permanently, because there was no guarantee that the spell would work the way his other was intended. For eight years I have worn this locket—this locket that none of you can see—because both Leta and Surah so loved Tettuce that they both used the circumstances of Surah's near demise to be with him."

Broco's eye was wide as he stared at Lady Aurah, seeing her as a completely new person. So she _was_ both Saiyan and Gylderian…It explained the tail, even though her story sounded so far-fetched. He had never before heard of a technique that would fuse two people together. A quick glance about him revealed that all (save for Blythe, oddly) seemed to share in his astonishment. A glint of light drew his attention back to Aurah and he gaped at a locket that was now resting in the palm of her silver hand.

"For the past few days I have been considering what to do now that Tettuce is gone. Lady Aurah is no longer needed…But Princess Surah—the true Matron—and Princess Leta of the Saiyan Royal Family…they are needed much more than I am. As I am the physical embodiment of their combined love for the Saiyan Tettuce…I feel, as well as they, that my time is over. I have made the decision to "end" my life by removing this locket. Once I do…Leta and Surah will stand before you and it will be to them that you all shall now look; the remaining Saiyans to Leta as the remaining Gylderians to Surah. Mourn not for me, for though Lady Aurah will no longer exist…She will always be here." She smiled and closed her eyes, her hand clasping tightly around the locket.

"Goodbye!" And before any could raise their voices to stop her, she tore the locket from about her neck, the chain snapping with ease.

Broco took an involuntary step forward, but froze the instant a bright light flashed from Aurah's body and blinded the bridge; everyone aboard had to shield their eyes against the radiance. But the light persisted for but a brief moment before it was suddenly gone…and with it, Aurah.

The gathered Saiyans and Gylderians gaped at the two women standing side by side, mirroring the last stance that Aurah had taken: their hands outstretched as if they, too, had ripped a necklace from their necks. Their eyes were closed, and both had smiles on their faces. Only one, however, held a locket in her hand: the Gylderian woman, Surah.

She had long white hair tucked behind her slightly pointed ears and hanging freely to her shoulders. Like Aurah before her, her skin was silver, but it did not glisten and glow the way Aurah's had. And unlike the woman standing beside her, she was wearing glistening golden armor; Leta's was glistening silver. Twin streams of silver tears trailed down Surah's cheeks. Beside her, Leta had short black hair in a similar style as Seripa's had been. Twin streams of tears trailed down her pale cheeks, as well.

Broco started visibly when Leta suddenly opened her eyes: they were the exact color as Seripa's had been! In fact, the woman looked almost identical to the valiant Saiyan woman now that he thought about it…Too much so for pure coincidence. He glanced to Turles and saw that he must have agreed, because he was gaping in stunned silence at the woman, one shaky hand raised and his index finger pointing at her in shock. He returned his gaze to Leta and then to Surah as the Gylderian woman, still clutching her locket, put her hands to her face and suddenly sank to her knees sobbing loudly. Leta looked down at her and knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around the woman's shaking shoulders.

"Tettuce…! No, not Tettuce…! Why…? Why? Why?" Surah's speech was muffled by her hands, but everyone on the bridge heard the emotion in each word.

"Ssshh…ssshh…Surah, it's okay…" Leta murmured into the woman's ear. Surah suddenly shifted around and threw her arms around the Saiyan woman, her emotion spilling forth as she wailed loudly into Leta's shoulder.

Leta picked Surah up and cast a stern glance around the bridge, daring any one of them to judge her sister for her actions. Her gaze settled on Broco and she said, "Broco…Take command for now. I'll be back." Despite the tears rolling freely down her cheeks, her voice was strong and unwavering. "Surah will be fine." And with that she left the bridge, carrying Surah to her quarters.

As Broco stared after them in surprise, all eyes on the bridge suddenly turned his way. He blinked and glanced around at the questioning gazes. Oh boy. Now he had to deal with questions he couldn't answer.

Damn it.

_**DBZ**_

_**Six days ago…**_

Frieza stared down in contempt at Tettuce's lifeless body. He had thoroughly enjoyed slapping the Saiyan warrior around when he had been fighting back. But when he just suddenly stopped, all fun had been drained from it. He had wanted to kill this monkey for years and now that he had finally achieved that end…he couldn't help but feel utter disappointment at having been pushed to transform and then not being able to actually fight. The Saiyan had stopped fighting back and Frieza had killed him with ease.

Too easy. It made him feel as if he had actually lost the fight; that Tettuce had ultimately won by not fighting back. It angered him. It annoyed him. It irked him.

"It pisses me off you monkey trash!" he seethed through clenched teeth. He stepped forward and kicked Tettuce's lifeless body, sending it sailing into the air. "IT PISSES ME OFF!" He threw his hand up to fire a blast to instantly vaporize the limp, ragdoll form. But he caught himself and watched the Saiyan's body fall back to the ground with a thud. He curled his fingers to his palm as he clenched his hand into a tight fist.

"My victims beg for their lives, Tettuce. Why didn't you?" His brows came together in consternation. "You denied me my simple pleasure of enjoying your torment…Why did you fight and then suddenly give up? Why?" He jerked his hand down to his side and took in a breath to calm himself.

It baffled Frieza and left him dismayed. Tettuce had fought hard and done more damage to him than he was willing to admit…and yet, the Saiyan had given up after he had killed the Gylderian, Zether. At the time he had been too caught up in his own rage towards the Saiyan to pay much attention to that fact. But as he continuously knocked Tettuce around like a ragdoll, he came to realize that despite his initial thought that he was moving too fast for the Saiyan to react, Tettuce had actually just given up. He had literally been batting a ragdoll around.

His body suddenly expanded and then shrank in on itself, his arms and legs shriveling up and his horns returning to their previous length as he returned to his original form. He exhaled a breath as his muscles and organs realigned themselves. Once completely normal, he walked to where the Saiyan's body was lying on its side, one arm twisted beneath the lifeless bulk.

"You denied me a simple pleasure, Tettuce." He paused before the body and stared down at the blank and still face. A shadow passed over him and his red eyes tore away from the dead Saiyan and he looked up as his ship settled slowly to the ground. He frowned as he noticed a hatch was already open and Zarbon was standing in the opening, his cape flapping around him madly in the resulting winds of the descent.

"Lord Frieza!" The bluish-green warrior leapt from the hatch and flew over to his lord. He landed on bended knee, his head bowed in respect. "I apologize Lord Frieza, but King Cold de-I mean, requests—"

"My father demands my presence? You can say it, Zarbon. Even I must answer to the King of the Cold Empire." Frieza smiled humorlessly as he turned away from Tettuce's lifeless body. "I am guessing he wants me to leave this mudball immediately?"

"S-sire…Yes. That is correct." Zarbon's light blue eyes lifted slightly to regard the lifeless form of Tettuce. "H-he has been dealt with, I see."

Frieza glanced down at the dead Saiyan at his feet, his smile fading instantly. "Yes. The Ginyu Force failed to end his wretched life. It embarrasses me that I was forced to deal with a simple monkey, but the Ginyus will pay for this. I have every intention to demote the Major substantially for this. Especially since it seems that I will have to find a replacement for that oaf, Recoome. Apparently that tenacious female, Seripa, killed him." He lifted a foot to rest it on the Saiyan's skull and eased his weight down until he heard the faint crunching sound of Tettuce's skull beginning to fracture.

"S-sire?" Zarbon looked up sharply in surprise. "W-we just received word from the Major. He said that Recoome had actually survived, but that Junior had been killed…as well as his former body, actually…" The blue-green alien frowned slightly and looked down again.

Frieza blinked and glanced around. "Is that so? Hm, oh well. I never cared for the boy anyway. He was too quiet." He lifted his foot and then stomped it down onto Tettuce's head, crushing it with ease; gore, brain and bits of skull splattered messily across the ground. "Hmmph." And with that he turned his back on what remained of the lifeless form of Tettuce and started for the ship. "Come, Zarbon. Let us go see what my father wants. Pity that I will not be able to destroy this mudball—I could sure go for some fireworks to celebrate this fortuitous day. Perhaps another time."

Zarbon stood up and stared after Frieza as he made his way into the ship. He glanced back down at Tettuce's crushed head with a slightly disgusted frown and barely suppressed a sigh. A look of regret briefly crossed his features and he reluctantly turned his back to him.

"It's a shame, Tettuce," he whispered under his breath. "More people than you realize were counting on your victory here today." Casting a final glance to the man, he quickly made his way aboard just as the hatch began to close and the ship rose into the air.

_**DBZ**_

Berik made one last adjustment to the rejuvenation chamber into which he had placed Amotto's remains, grimacing at the free-floating pieces, before he turned away from it and rushed to a console several yards away from it. He had taken her remains to his personal ship knowing that he had little time to escape Jynn-jin 13 before Frieza destroyed it. So when he reached his console and found that his radar was indicating the tyrant's ship rapidly leaving the planet behind, he couldn't help but feel a measure of relief mixed with confusion. Relief because he wasn't sure that his old ship would take off; it had sat unused in a hidden hangar beneath his lab for several decades. Confusion because he had been certain that Frieza would destroy Jynn-jin 13.

He frowned and pushed his glasses back up his nose, pursing his lips as he folded his arms across his chest. What could have caused Frieza to rush away so quickly? The tyrant lizard was not known for leaving planets whole after making his presence known to the inhabitants.

He wouldn't get much chance to ponder on it just yet, though. His glasses suddenly lit up with symbols and his eyes widened slightly. He reached a hand up to deactivate them and then moved to the console to activate a screen set into the dash. He typed several commands, somewhat clumsily since he had not been aboard the ship in far too long. After a moment two readings appeared. They were both very faint readings, but he knew almost instantly to whom they belonged.

Berik's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief. He could barely believe it! He had watched in dismay as both of their readings had faded from his scouter…but here they were. One was spiking steadily while the other was steadily falling.

He broke free of his shock and quickly made his way to his pilot seat. He glanced back at the rejuvenation chamber that housed the barely-alive Amotto, and then looked to the other two on either side of that one. Thankfully they all still worked. His ship was tiny, but it was more than big enough for two more occupants. He turned back to the console and worked feverishly to bring the old ship to life…

It suddenly began to hum and faint vibrations shook the hull. He allowed himself a smile of relief as the ship levitated from its moorings and the bay doors above began to open. It rose free from the hangar and he brought it around to face due east. Seconds later it was blasting away into the distance.

_**DBZ**_

Beneath a star-strewn sky two apparently lifeless figures lay in the center of a smoldering crater. Both were stark naked, their armor having been completely obliterated in a final attack that, by all rights, should have killed them both. One figure was a short-haired female and the other was a shaggy-haired male.

Violet eyes, half-lidded, stared lethargically up at the sky as weakness permeated her body. The rise and fall of the chest of the male on which she lay relaxed her; it kept her from feeling completely hopeless. They had both been beaten severely and yet they were both alive. How was beyond her, but it didn't really matter. She could feel the life draining from the man beneath her; as well as from her own body. Neither of them had long. That they had survived this long was an utter miracle.

She didn't want to give up, but there was nothing to restore her strength anymore. The nanites had been completely destroyed. At least, she thought they had been. She couldn't feel any trace of ki or strength in her devastated body. She hated to go out this way, but at least she would have died in battle. She could rest easy knowing that she had done all she could against her foe. She had done her best to avenge her fallen team and race. She would have liked to have succeeded, but the fact that she and her mate had actually injured their foe's pride…Well, that was enough to bring a smile to her bruised and bloody lips.

Her one and only lament was that she would never get a chance to see her son again…

Seripa closed her eyes and let out what she intended to be her final breath…

"Well look at this! The gods shine on us tonight, S'viant!"

She forced her eyes open and glanced to the edge of the crater to see two scraggly-looking Jynn-jin males staring hungrily at her naked body. She could just barely see that one had metallically-gleaming black hair, while the other had metallic-red hair.

"Oh-ho! They sure does, Teranel! I's always wanted to fuck me a Saiyan bitch. Looks like we's gets a chance!" The two of them started towards her with identical feral grins.

She closed her eyes and growled weakly. This was nowhere near what she had in mind for her last moments. But there wasn't much she could do about it. As weak as she was, she imagined that even these two weaklings would be too much for her to handle…

But, then again, she wasn't about to let them have their way with her. Only one man could touch her body that way…

And if she had anything to say about, only Bardock would ever touch her body.

She opened her eyes and shifted her arms to push herself into a reclining position. She glared up at the now-frozen Jynn-jins, heat flooding through her small, naked, frame.

"What…was that?" she growled out. She struggled to her feet, staggering and nearly falling back to the ground. She spread her feet and extended her tail out to add extra balance. Her heart hammered against her fractured rib-cage and she struggled to suck air into her aching lungs. Her eyes drooped low and she fought against a wave of fatigue that threatened to envelop her in darkness.

"I said…what…was that? You two…want a piece…of me? Well…come on. 'Cause…it sure as hell…won't be without…a fight." She forced a strained smile and narrowed her eyes. "Well? What're…you waiting…for?"

The two men exchanged glances and then looked at her warily.

The first who had spoked, Teranel, grinned. "Oh we'll gets a piece o' that ass. You can betcha life on that!" He laughed and started towards her.

"Not a chance," she seethed under her breath. He lunged towards her and grabbed her arm, which she immediately jerked free, nearly toppling backwards to the ground. Regaining her balance she brought her other hand up, driving the flat of her palm into his nose and lifting him from his feet.

He hit the ground on his back, his lifeless eyes staring up in surprise at the starry sky while his grin remained plastered on his face.

Seripa cut her eyes towards the other man and she grinned weakly. "Well?"

The other man took two steps backward and then turned and ran for the hills. Seripa chuckled under her breath and then immediately fell to her back, landing on top of Bardock's still rising and falling chest. A faint 'oof' from him brought a smile to her lips as she closed her eyes and sucked in breath after breath into her greedy lungs.

A sudden 'whooshing' sound made her open her eyes and she looked over to see an ovular ship descending just beyond the edge of the crater. She stared at it long enough to see Berik suddenly exit and rush towards them. She grinned again and closed her eyes.

_Maybe we will survive after all_, she thought as darkness closed all around her.

_**DBZ**_

_**(I want to thank all those that reviewed the last chapter and I want to appreciate all of the support I have received for this story. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter -I seem to be apologizing a lot :/- but as I have said before: life happens. And mine...well, it is getting better. I don't want to share too much, but I will tell you that I made too many bad decisions even before I started writing this story. Those decisions have held me back, but now I am beginning to make new, better ones. My mind is clearing up and I'm starting to see what I need to do in life. I have fallen a long way, so I have an equally long way to climb up. But I want to thank you all, each and every one of you that has read this story and that has reviewed it. I know, thanks to the traffic stats, that there are more people reading than are reviewing. That doesn't bother me because the fact that it's being read as much as it is gives me a swell of pride. I've always been iffy of my writing skills, but apparently they're better than I had thought. Allow me a brief amount of conceit, because I'm not a conceited person. lol Anyway, please continue to R/R and please bear with me. I have a feeling that we are ALL in for a wild ride from here on out. I don't think this story is even half done. Individual Lies out.) **_


	19. Witness Again

_**(Individual Lies here. I want to thank everyone for their reviews and support. And for that support your reward...is another chapter! lol I hope to make this a habit. I have already started on chapter twenty and hope to have it posted within the next few days. Keep your eyes open and peeled for that e-mail. And now on to the story!)**_

_**Chapter Nineteen: Witness Again  
**_"_So much I kept inside  
__Never sharing, never trying  
__Every can't becomes  
__A means to an end  
__No more will I sit and wait  
__For my answers in my fate  
__For now this will have to do  
_'_Cause it's time."  
__**Witness-Tryad**_

_**DBZ**_

_Bardock sat with his legs folded beneath him as he watched the lightning dance across the now black sky. A frown pulled his features nearly into a scowl. He wasn't sure how much time had passed—all he knew was that he had been sitting and staring in this same spot for a long time. He knew that he was witnessing the events of the future unfold. He also knew that if he were to go to the source of the lightning he would find his son, Kakarrot, fighting against Frieza. _

_But what baffled him was why the future had not yet changed. He and Seripa had beat the tar out of Frieza and he was sure that Tettuce had, as well._

"You and your mate have done well, Saiyan. But not well enough to change the future."

_Bardock growled. "I was wondering when you would finally say something, Kanassan."_

_A chuckle. _"I cannot answer your questions, Saiyan. You must figure out the future for yourself."

_"I didn't say nothin' about answering my questions. Although maybe you can answer why that damned Pool of Life chose _me._ I ain't done a thing to make my resurrection valid."_

"Ha, something we can agree on." _The Kanassan laughed, his voice echoing all around the annoyed Saiyan. _

_Bardock rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his bare chest. "You annoy me, you know that, right? Can you at least tell me whether or not me and Seripa survived our fight with Frieza? I ain't got a clue to what's goin' on outside of these visions."_

"That I can answer. Yes, you and your mate both survived the battle. As amazing as it is. I underestimated you Saiyans' resilience. You are a true warrior race."

_"Hm. Good to know. How about this? Is it possible for me to control these visions? To pick and choose what I see, rather than seein' the same damn emptiness every damn time?"_

"If you learn to control your visions, you will be the first to do so."

_Bardock smirked. "I see. Well, I'm damn good at doin' what others can't."_

"So I've noticed," _the Kanassan responded with a hint of annoyance in his tone and Bardock grinned._

_"Touchy, Kanassan. Do you resent me?"_

"Not as much as I suppose I should. Even though it is because of you and your team that my race no longer exists."

_Bardock's grin faded and he looked down to the ground beneath him. "Trust me, I ain't proud of what we did. If I could change it, I would. We Saiyans are supposed to ruthless and heartless, so I don't know why I feel this way. Frieza manipulated us, but we allowed ourselves to be manipulated. I can blame him, but then I ain't doin' nothin' except makin' excuses for somethin' we did. It makes me wonder, though…What were Saiyans like before Frieza? Were we actually peaceful?"_

_The Kanassan sighed. _"Frieza's family has damaged this universe in countless ways. Maybe the Saiyans were once a peaceful, albeit powerful, race. Despite my resentment towards you, you do not really strike me as an evil man. Cold-hearted at times, but not evil."

_Bardock smiled slightly and closed his eyes. "Thanks for that. I promise I'll do what I can to right what I've wronged. The Cold Regime will fall; I stake my life and pride on it."_

"Promise what you can, but stake nothing on the fall of the Regime. Open your eyes."

_Bardock frowned but opened his eyes. He immediately climbed to his feet and looked around sharply. He was no longer on the plateau viewing the lightning-strewn sky. Instead he was now standing on a path between a long row of short trees, their branches linking together overhead. Sunlight was streaming through the interwoven branches and he could see a beautiful blue sky above. He looked around and then paused when he heard the sound of an infant bawling its lungs out nearby._

_"What…where is this?"_

"This is Earth. Look ahead."

_Bardock glanced around and his eyebrows rose slightly when he saw a short old man with a thick white mustache walking cautiously forward, his eyes cut sharply to the side as he sought for the source of the crying. He stepped off the path and between two trees and immediately paused with an exclamation of "Oh!" _

_Bardock frowned and moved quickly to where the man had stepped off the path. He paused as he saw what the old man had seen: a white, spherical space pod resting at the bottom of a crater. Beside it was an infant with wildly spiked hair and a brown tail curled up beneath him._

_"Kakarrot! Is this a vision of the future?" Bardock asked the Kanassan with confusion in his voice._

"So to speak. I am sure that it won't be long before your son's pod lands on Earth."

_"I don't understand. Why am I seeing this?" he asked as the old man stooped and picked the sniffling baby up. Kakarrot suddenly laughed and kicked the old man in his chin, which made the man laugh._

"I do not understand it myself. But it is obviously important."

_The Saiyan watched as the man spoke to Kakarrot and his eyes suddenly widened. "Kakarrot is…he's being gentle. Kinda nice. I don't…is this how we should all be? Have we been forcing our children to grow up to be ruthless killers?"_

_"My name is Gohan and I think I'll call you…Goku! How do you like that?" asked the old man of Kakarrot. The infant laughed and flailed his arms before kicking the man again. "Ow! Feisty ain't ya? And strong to boot!" _

"That is a possibility. Your son exhibits no signs of aggression, does he?" _asked the Kanassan, a hint of amusement in his voice._

_Bardock frowned and folded his arms across his chest. He watched as the old man cradled the infant to his chest and walked back to the path. He continued to watch as he carried his son away. But his frown vanished and his eyes widened when Kakarrot turned to look right at him. He blinked in surprise as the boy waved his hand towards him, which brought a tiny smile to the hard warrior's lips. He continued to watch until they rounded a bend and vanished from sight._

"That baby boy is destined to grow up to be the most powerful warrior in the entire universe, Bardock. You know that he will eventually succeed where countless others have failed. You know that he will become a Super Saiyan. Why do you think that is?"

_Bardock shook his head and shrugged. "I don't honestly know. But…that old man, a complete stranger, was kinder to him than I ever was. Maybe…maybe he'll grow up here on Earth with kindness and love in his heart. He'll have experiences here that he wouldn't have had livin' under Frieza's rule…If that's the case…Maybe he'll be the first true Saiyan in too many years."_

"That is a possibility." _The Kanassan was silent for a moment before speaking again. _"Have you noticed anything about your visions, Bardock?"

_"I've noticed that you stopped calling me 'Saiyan.' Other than that, what should have I noticed?" Bardock asked with a frown._

_The Kanassan chuckled. _"If it will make you feel better, I will start calling you that again. What I was referring to, though, was that your visions have not been chaotic. There is order to them now. Are you doing that?"

_"I dunno. I know that I wanted them to stop being random flashes of nonsense. Does that mean that I'm startin' to gain control of them?"_

"Maybe. I do not know myself. But if you continue to want to control them…Well, at this rate you just may learn to do so. You may learn to see what you want to see, rather than what the visions show you."

_Bardock chuckled. "That would be nice. Even this vision is nothin' but nonsense to me. I did enjoy seein' my boy, though," he admitted quietly. _

"Did you want to see him?"

_Bardock blinked and then frowned as he considered that. He hadn't really been thinking about Kakarrot, but he had been wondering how the boy would become a Legendary Super Saiyan. Maybe that had somehow triggered the vision. Maybe…_

_"I want to see Raditz. I want to see his future."_

"Do you?"

_"Yes." _

"I see…" _The environment around him suddenly began to shift and melt away. Within seconds he was standing on an empty wind-swept plain surrounded by the bodies of insect-like aliens. _

_Bardock blinked in surprise and looked up at the dark purple sky that was dotted with strange yellow clouds. The sound of maniacal laughter caused him to turn and his eyes widened when he spotted a familiar bald Saiyan standing next to a teenager with a mass of black hair that stretched nearly to the ground. He was the one that was laughing as he held a vainly struggling alien by its throat._

_"No…Raditz! Put him down!" he called out before he remembered that the boy couldn't see or hear him. He watched in horror as his son plunged his fist into the alien's chest and then snatched out a black object that must have served as its heart. He closed his eyes against the sight and turned away, his chest heaving as his heart hammered against his ribs. Not so long ago he would not have been bothered by such a gruesome sight. But something had obviously changed in him; a drastic change that left him feeling disgusted with his own son._

_But it wasn't his son that he should be disgusted with._

_His eyes opened and he was once more on the plateau of that strange alien world, lightning dancing across the sky. A murderous glare twisted his features as he clenched his fists tight by his sides. Frieza was responsible for what he had just seen. That tyrant lizard was going to twist his son to the point of insanity…Make him do unspeakable things that he was going to eventually relish in. _

"You're right, Bardock. It is Frieza's doing that so many races become genocidal maniacs," _the Kanassan said gently._ "The future you saw is what is currently destined for Raditz. And you are running out of time. As we speak he is probably being forced to do things that he does not understand. Things that he questions and is most likely punished for questioning. What will you do with this knowledge?"

_Blue sparks of his aura danced around his fists and feet as Bardock turned his murderous glare to the sky, his eyes glinting dangerously. "I'm goin' to fuckin' kill that gods damned lizard. I'm going to tear him limb from limb and grind his body into dust. Then I'm goin' to piss on his remains."_

_The Kanassan chuckled humorlessly. _"While I admire the dedication that is a bit dark."

_"Dark? Dark? That damn lizard is wrecking the universe and twisting my son's sanity!" he yelled in anger and frustration at the sky._

"Then you need to rescue your son from his grasp. Before it's too late."

_Bardock blinked and looked down, his anger slowly ebbing away. He could do that much easier than tearing Frieza to pieces. It was such an obvious thing to do that he suddenly felt ashamed of his own reaction. Here he vowed to make changes and he had still shown the violence that Frieza had placed within him. He scowled at himself and shook his head._

"Do not feel shame for your anger. You are as justified in feeling that anger as my race is for feeling anger against you. Frieza is committing unspeakable acts of evil and you are angry. Which is good, because you will need that anger if you want to face him down."

_The Saiyan sighed and closed his eyes. "I don't want to be that murderer again."_

"Wanting to kill Frieza for the things that he has done, for the lives that he has ruined, does not make you a murderer."

_"Then what does it make me?" Bardock asked in irritation as he opened his eyes again._

"An avenger."

_**DBZ**_

Seripa stood before Amotto's rejuvenation chamber, her brow furrowed as she chewed on her thumb in agitation. She was wearing loose over-sized Jynn-jin clothing: a red and yellow shirt that hung nearly to her knees, over a pair of red and blue pants. She just could not get used to seeing the woman in such a state; her arms and legs floating freely from her torso. She also could barely believe that she had survived Frieza's killing attack.

Berik appeared beside her and she glanced at him briefly before returning her violet gaze to her friend. "In the next day or so I will begin reattaching her limbs. Her torso is healing up quite nicely I see," he remarked as he indicated the long diagonal gash that was beginning to scar up, stretching from her right side up her stomach and ending between her bare breasts, one of which was horribly scarred on the underside. He had had to reattach it once her body had shown signs of healing.

Seripa smiled faintly. "I still can't believe she's alive. I thought for sure she was dead."

"As did I," Berik admitted with a soft chuckle. "But I had also thought you and Bardock were dead, too."

"So did I," Seripa admitted as she turned to look at the scientist. "Again, thank you. We probably would have died if you hadn't come for us."

When Berik found the two of them they had been far down the path towards death. Fending off the two Jynn-jin bastards that had wanted to have their way with her had sapped the very last of her strength. If Berik had not arrived when he did, then she would have died not more than ten minutes later. Bardock, on the other hand, was literally knocking on death's door. The Jynn-jin scientist had hurriedly placed them both into rejuvenation chambers, but he admitted later to Seripa that he initially doubted Bardock's survival.

Now, a little more than two weeks later, he was certain the man would recover. He was still in a rejuvenation chamber but for good reason: all the skin on his back had been burned away down to his muscles and tendons. As soon as Berik had moved him, the blackened flesh had peeled away and he instantly began to bleed to death. The fact that he had survived at all was beyond them both.

"No need to thank me, Seripa," Berik said with a smile. "I am just glad that I made it in time. Now Falmer on the other hand…" he trailed off and turned to the other rejuvenation chamber that she had occupied for a few days. Inside was the white-haired Gylderian, his eyes closed and twitching spasmodically. "There's a man that should thank me." He sighed and shook his head, wearily rubbing at his blood-shot eyes behind his glasses. "He was dead when I found him. By all rights he shouldn't be alive…"

"And neither should I." Berik glanced over his shoulder at Diamond as she joined them, pausing in front of the chamber that held her husband. She bit her lower lip and folded her arms beneath her breasts. "He saw the attack coming…He hugged me to him…And then you were pulling us from the wreckage of his ship. I thought we had both died…" She fell silent and looked down, idly lifting a hand to tuck a lock of her pale blonde hair behind her ears.

Seripa stared at the woman silently for a few minutes before returning her gaze to Amotto. The woman hadn't so much as twitched in the past week and a half since she'd left her chamber. She sighed and then looked over to the Gylderian man. She had to agree with Berik that it was amazing that he was alive. Falmer had had to wait until either her or Bardock left one of the chambers before he could be placed inside. She had healed up quickly (thanks to the few remaining nanites in her body she later found out) and Berik had immediately placed Falmer inside at Diamond's request.

She found out that while they awaited her recovery, Diamond had adamantly demanded that Berik place her husband on life-support. Considering the man was literally dead when the two of them had been found it was a crazy demand. But Berik had relented and monitored him closely in between checking on the two Saiyans and working to keep Amotto alive. Even now it was touch and go with her, but for Falmer…Well, the man was recovering from death quite well. His dull silver skin had grown back rapidly, as well as his hair. It wasn't as long as it had been originally, it now being rather short, but it would eventually reach its former length. All in all it was quite the miracle that he was alive at all.

Seripa hadn't known Falmer, of course. But she had learned quite a bit about him since she'd left recovery. Diamond didn't say much, but when she did it was usually something about her husband. She mostly sat on the floor in front of his chamber looking up at him as she patiently waited for him to heal.

Seripa smiled as she glanced at the silent woman. She was quite a mystery but it was obvious that she was as stubborn as any Saiyan she'd ever known. Her refusal to give up on her mate was more than enough to make Seripa respect her. She was also a hell of a pilot. While Berik worked tirelessly to keep her mate and Amotto alive, she flew the ship. Not that much piloting really had to be done, but she kept the ship on course.

When Seripa had determined that Bardock would be fine she had asked Berik where they were heading. His response had perplexed her until he informed her that they were going to space station Celestine Prime to meet with a Saiyan named Turpin. She had recognized the name but she couldn't put a face to it. When Berik told her that he had been Tettuce's mentor she had found it hard to believe, knowing that Tettuce's mentor had been dead for several decades. But when he was able Berik had explained as much as he could to her about him; that he had faked his death to get away from Frieza and that he was responsible for the death of the Jynn-jin prince known as Jaxom.

She didn't understand why they were going to meet him at first, but again Berik had explained more to her when he was able to. They were going to meet with him because Berik had intercepted a transmission from him to Aurah in which he had stated that when the Saiyans and Gylderians left Jynn-jin 13, they should meet him at Celestine Prime. He was going to help them fight against Frieza and his family.

Seripa knew no more about Turpin than what she had been told, but she wondered if he was powerful enough to help them. Her own power level was much higher than it had been during her fight with Ginyu Junior. She didn't have an exact number to put to it, but she guessed that it was at least twice as high as before. She figured it was a good enough estimate based on just how powerful she felt. She did her best to stay relaxed because anytime she felt even the slightest bit of anger or agitation her power would flare up and threaten to explode. It was a frightening, albeit intoxicating, feeling. But despite her power up, she knew that it was nowhere near enough to stand against Frieza. After seeing first hand just how powerful he truly was, taking her and Bardock both on while they were in Oozaru form, she knew that they both had a long way to go.

But once Amotto was healed and her power was fully regenerated and boosted from recovering from a near-death injury…well, Frieza would be shaking in fear once the three of them stood before him.

She looked over to Bardock as her thoughts drifted to Tettuce.

Tettuce…Berik had filled her in on what had become of the powerful warrior. She sighed and closed her eyes slowly. Tettuce and Zether were dead. They had been the universe's two best hopes for defeating Frieza and his family. But Frieza had killed them both on the same day. She took a quick breath as her anger swelled up; anger towards Frieza, anger towards herself, and anger towards Tettuce. He should have fled the battle when he'd had the chance. But the stubborn ass had kept fighting and was now dead because of it.

But he had also made sure that Aurah and the others escaped safely. Regardless of that fact she still couldn't help the anger she felt towards him. She had respected him highly (despite his brief descent into madness that had nearly left her and Bardock dead) and she hated knowing that he had died at Frieza's hands.

Seripa sighed and opened her eyes. She looked at Bardock resting serenely in the chamber and she smiled slightly. If it hadn't been for her mate then she would have been killed by Frieza. She didn't understand, and probably never would, just how the two of them had survived. But she was grateful to be alive and to have another chance to try and kill Frieza. But she knew now that the road to that end would be longer than she'd originally thought. Tettuce had warned her, but even after meeting someone of his caliber she had still underestimated Frieza's strength and had overestimated her own after the nanites had boosted it. It was a mistake that she had nearly paid for with her life.

But fate seemed to be giving her another chance and she was going to make the best of it that she could.

Berik stepped to Amotto's rejuventation chamber and she looked over at the Jynn-jin. She grimaced as she noticed (not for the first time) how pale he had become and how drawn his features were. The skin beneath his eyes was black with fatigue and his yellow eyes were bloodshot. It was a wonder he hadn't collapsed, yet. But he was obviously much stronger and more determined than she had realized. Now knowing what she did about him she regretted her original thoughts and feelings towards the man. She understood now that he had done what he did to save her and her friends, as well as his own race. Willingly putting his own life on the line he had kept the Gylderians safe and hidden from the Flazerians, and had fought everyday to keep them from executing her, Amotto, Turles, and Broco. The scorn and resentment she previously held for him had been replaced by immense respect and gratitude, something she had never really felt before.

He turned away from the chamber and lifted his glasses to rub his eyes wearily. He took a step and stumbled and Seripa caught his arm. He looked around at her in surprise and she smiled slightly. "I think you've done all you can, Berik. Why don't you get some sleep before you die from exhaustion?"

He opened his mouth, seemingly about to protest, but paused. He closed his mouth and returned the smile. "That is probably a good idea."

"Of course it is. You'll be no good to anyone if you keep pushing yourself this way. I appreciate what you've done so far—"

"Me, too," said Diamond quietly.

"But you're going to kill yourself if you keep on," Seripa continued. She let go of his arm and folded hers across her chest.

Berik nodded and rubbed his eyes again. He cast a quick glance to Falmer's chamber and then to Amotto's. Bardock's he wasn't too worried about—the man would be awakening soon enough anyway. He turned back to her and smiled again. "Okay, you've convinced me. Can you…?" He gestured to the chambers and Seripa laughed quietly.

"I'll do what I can. I've had enough experience with these things to be a pro by now. Go get some rest. I assure you they'll still be here when you wake up."

Berik smiled gratefully and then left the bridge to the two women.

Seripa stared after him for a few moments before turning to look back at Amotto. She couldn't help but grimace at the sight of the poor, brave woman. But the grimace quickly became a smile of pride.

"He's a good man," Diamond whispered. Seripa looked over at her in surprise.

"Who? Falmer?"

"I meant Berik." She lifted her gaze from the floor and looked at Seripa with her luminescent green eyes. "As old as he is…It's amazing the things that he has done for us. Pushing himself the way he has." She smiled slightly, the first smile that Seripa had seen from her. "Not many people would risk their lives for others like that." She turned her gaze to look at Falmer floating inside the chamber, his eyes still twitching spasmodically. "I know that I more or less forced him to save my husband, but…but I knew that my Falmer would pull through. I knew that he wasn't dead, yet. He's a Zetra." Her smile broadened a bit and her eyes shone a little brighter. "And Zetras are the most stubborn of all Gylderians. Many people joke and call them the Saiyans of Planet Gylder…" she trailed off and her smile faltered. "Well, they did anyway…Gylder is gone now. And Falmer is the last male Zetra left alive…"

Seripa stared at her sympathetically. "Vegeta is gone, too. We both belong to endangered races…"

"Sad but true," Diamond said quietly. She fell silent, her smile fading as she continued to stare at her husband.

Seripa watched her for a few seconds before turning her gaze back to Amotto. She stared at her friend for a while before looking over at Bardock. She was ready for him to wake up. She could barely believe just how badly she missed hearing his voice. But she had lived a year thinking he was gone for good. Getting him back, having him in her life again; it was a gift that she refused to take for granted.

As she watched him, thoughts and memories rolling through her mind, his eyes suddenly clenched and then slowly opened.

"Bardock!" she exclaimed in sudden excitement, a grin lighting up her features. Diamond blinked and looked at her and then at him in surprise.

He blinked a few times and looked around in surprise. He looked at her and his eyes squinted as he smiled behind his mask. She moved quickly to the console and began to drain the tank. Once the water was below his chin he removed his mask and grinned at her.

Once the tank was empty of the healing fluid, she opened the hatch and he stepped out, water dripping to the floor. She threw her arms around him in a fierce hug and he returned the gesture.

"Good to see you, too, Seripa." He glanced over at Diamond who offered him a small smile. "And good to see you're alive, Diamond."

"Falmer is, too," she stated simply with a slight gesture to her husband.

Bardock blinked in surprise and glanced into the chamber with wide eyes as Seripa drew away from him. "Well I'll be damned. I was sure that Flazerian bastard had killed the two of you."

"Almost. Falmer saw the attack before it struck the ship. He was nearly dead, but Berik saved him."

"And us, too," said Seripa with her grin still firmly in place.

He looked back to his mate with an arched eyebrow. "Berik? Who's that?"

"He's the same scientist who put those nanites inside me. He found us and put us in rejuvenation chambers. Obviously since you're just now getting out."

"How long have I been healing?" Bardock asked in surprise.

"A little over two weeks now, actually. It was a close call for the both of us. More so for you to be honest." Seripa suddenly frowned and cast him a glare. "You scared the shit outta me, Bardock. Why'd you go and do something as stupid as putting yourself between me and a killing blast?"

Her mate returned the frown and folded his arms across his chest. "You really have to ask that? I felt the power from that attack. I knew what it would have done to you…" he blinked and his frown was replaced with a perplexed look. "Wait a second…how the hell did we survive the blast at all?"

Seripa's frown faded and she shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm glad we did. I've wanted to do this ever since I woke up." She reached up and thumped his forehead. "You dolt!"

He winced and grinned down at her, which she returned. "Dolt or not, we're both alive so I can do this!" He scooped her into his arms and crushed his lips against hers.

Diamond watched the exchange for a moment before turning back to her husband. A smile graced her lips as she stared at him, patiently waiting for him to wake up so they could do the same.

_**DBZ**_

Broco ducked quickly beneath Turles' punch and then side-stepped another as quick as he could. But he wasn't quite fast enough as he felt the teenager's fist drive painfully into his gut. He staggered and dropped to his knees clutching his stomach as he gasped for air.

Turles scowled and folded his arms as he stepped away from the older man. "Damn it! This is getting old, Broco. How am I supposed to help you get stronger if a light punch from me drops you to your knees?"

Broco returned the scowl, narrowing his single eye up at the boy. "Well…excuse me for not having the benefits of a magical fruit."

The younger Saiyan rolled his eyes in response and stepped away to lean against the wall of the training room. It wasn't a very big room, maybe twenty feet by twenty feet, but it sufficed for light sparring.

"So sue me. I ate some fruit and got really damn strong. Maybe you should have done the same while you had a chance." Turles smirked as Broco climbed shakily to his feet.

"Sorry," he responded sarcastically. "I didn't know that I'd ever be sparring against you. Had I, then I probably would have eaten one or two pieces."

Turles grinned. "Wanna call it quits for today? 'Cause I'd really like to discuss this theory of yours some more before we rejoin the others."

"Sure, why not?" Broco sighed and rubbed his sore stomach.

"So you really think they're related?"

The older Saiyan shrugged. "The resemblance is too uncanny for them not to be. But what I don't understand is why Aurah never made mention of it herself." He frowned and glanced at Turles.

Turles shrugged as well. "Maybe she was so used to her appearance that when she saw Seripa it just didn't click?"

"Maybe. That's a possibility, but still…" Broco spread his hands and frowned. "Tettuce should have at least noticed, and he never made mention of it."

"Could we be over…uh…over…?" He frowned and grimaced as he tried to remember the word. "Analyzing!" he said quickly, glad to have remembered before Broco could tell him the correct word. "Could we be over-analyzing this?"

"That's another possibility, but I'm telling you that the two of them have to be related somehow. Leta looks nearly identical to Seripa. So much so it's unnerving. It's like looking at a ghost sometimes," he said quietly, his frown fading to a look of sorrow.

Turles looked down to the floor, his arms unfolding and dropping to his sides. "Yeah, it kinda is." He scowled and sighed. "Damn it, I never thought I'd miss the bitch. But I do…And I still can't believe that Bardock was alive that whole damn time. Not that it matters now since he went and got his ass killed by Frieza. But still."

"Yeah, I understand. I can only imagine how Seripa felt when she found out," Broco sighed.

"Bet she wet her panties when she saw him," Turles said with a grin.

Broco gave the teenager a reproaching glare. "You're a pervert, you know that right?"

The boy shrugged, still grinning. "Not like it matters, right? They're both dead anyhow. I can say whatever I want about her, eh?"

"My point is that it's not very respectful," Broco responded, exasperated. "You know, just when I think you've grown up you go and say things like that to prove me wrong."

Turles laughed and clapped Broco on his shoulder. "Seripa was hot and you know it."

"What's that got to do with her wetting her panties when she saw Bardock, though?"

"Nothin'. It's just the thought of her wetting her panties. Whew!" Turles laughed again and Broco scowled at him.

"You've got no respect for the dead, do you?"

"It ain't that I don't have respect, but there's no sense in being sour all the time. They're dead and gone; Tettuce, too, but you really think they'd want us being sad and shit?" Turles tilted his head slightly. "I mean, I don't think they would."

Broco blinked and stared at Turles in surprise. "That's a good point. But that comment…"

"Was a joke." Turles' grin faded and he sighed. "I know it was disrespectful but we gotta laugh now and again. Otherwise we're just gonna go crazy with sadness."

The older Saiyan stared at Turles, once again surprised by just how much the boy had changed. He smiled slightly and nodded. "I suppose you really have grown up. Just…please don't make comments like that again. Especially not about my sister." He turned and walked to the door, which immediately slid open to allow him to exit.

Turles blinked and stared after him. "About Etapa? Why would I do that?" Broco kept walking so he hurried after him. "Wait, what are you talking about? Broco! What did I miss?"

He was still trying to get an answer when they walked onto the bridge, but Broco firmly refused to say anything else. The older Saiyan glanced around the bridge and saw that only a few people were there, including: Etapa, the new pilot Peppa (with Lessbru sitting beside her,) Leta and Surah sitting in the two thrones talking quietly in hushed tones, and Blythe standing beside Sushinae who still sported red eyes from crying. She wasn't crying all day long anymore, but it was still clear that her brothers' deaths (as well as Diamond's) were fresh on her mind.

Broco sighed and glanced at Turles who had finally fell silent. He smirked when he saw the boy looking curiously towards Etapa, who was determinedly keeping her gaze on her console. She was aware of his scrutiny, though, as her cheeks were flushed with red. Broco grinned and walked to the thrones, Leta and Surah looking up and falling silent as he approached.

"Highnesses." He bowed his head as he paused before them.

"Broco," said Leta with a nod of her head. "What can we do for you?"

"I was just curious: are we still going to Celestine Prime?"

Surah nodded and Leta glanced sideways at her. "Yes, we are. Turpin is waiting for us there."

"I see. And how long before we get there?"

Leta turned her violet-eyed gaze back to him, a slight frown creasing her forehead. She glanced over to the pilot seat. "Peppa, how long before we reach Celestine Prime at our current speed?"

The long-haired woman jerked upright from where she'd been huddled close to Lessbru, listening to whatever he had been saying. She looked at the Princess in surprise. "Oh, uh…" She quickly looked down at the console and typed a few quick commands. "Estimated time of arrival is…five weeks." She turned back to Leta. "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, of course."

"I see. Good." The Saiyan princess turned back to Broco. "There's your answer. Anything else?"

Broco smiled slightly and shook his head. "No, that's all I was wondering." He glanced around at Turles to see him standing beside Etapa, who was fidgeting uncomfortably at the proximity. He grinned and looked back to Leta and Surah. They both frowned at his grin and he chuckled quietly. "Sorry, Highnesses."

"Broco, you can refer to us by name," said Surah with a kind smile. "Right, Leta?"

Leta glanced at Surah again and shrugged. "If he wants. I'd prefer that over hearing 'highness' all the time." She wrinkled her nose up in disgust. "Princess or not, I hate that term. I'd much rather be called by my name."

"Me, too," agreed Surah.

Broco bowed his head. "I will keep that in mind." His smile faded slightly and he glanced around quickly, before leaning in a bit and lowering his voice. "How are you two doing?"

They both shared looks of surprise before both looking down slowly. Broco noticed that while they were now two people, they still moved and reacted in much the same way, mirroring one another's movements and expressions almost perfectly.

Leta was the first to look back up at him, sighing as she did. "We are okay. We more or less have to be. Too many people are relying on us to lead them."

"Maybe so, Leta," said Broco, "but you should still allow yourselves to grieve. If you'll excuse my saying so."

She smirked at his comment. "I appreciate that. We both do." Surah nodded her agreement as she lifted her gaze to him. "Nevertheless, we have little choice but to move forward. Tettuce…" She faltered over his name, her stern gaze softening briefly. She sighed and her gaze hardened almost immediately. "He wouldn't want us to forget our duty to our people."

Surah sniffled and dashed away a tear. She smiled at the one-eyed man. "Thank you for the concern, Broco. We will be fine, though. I may be more emotional than my sister here, but we are both stronger than we seem."

Broco smiled. "It never crossed my mind that you weren't. On another note, though. I probably should have mentioned this before, but I could probably take a look at the hyper-drive engines. Maybe see if I can repair them."

Surah blinked in surprise and Leta smiled as she narrowed her eyes. "That would have been nice to know a week ago, you know."

He grinned apologetically. "I had a few other things on my mind. The only thing is, though, that we'll have to come to a dead stop. And I can't guarantee that I can fix them, but I can at least try."

"Trying is better than nothing," Surah said with a grin. "What do you think, Leta?"

"Peppa! Full stop now," said the Saiyan princess with a smile. "Do what you can, Broco. The sooner we get to Celestine Prime, the better."

Peppa didn't question the order and brought the ship to an immediate stop as Broco laughed.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Lady Au-I mean Surah!" Lessbru suddenly spoke up, turning in his seat to regard them, his eyes wide.

The two princesses exchanged glances and looked over at the co-pilot. "What is it?" asked Surah with a slight frown.

"There's an unknown ship approaching us. It has no signature that matches anything in the Ice-jin Empire." He frowned and looked back at the radar. "The best I can tell…Its point of origin is…" His eyes suddenly widened and he turned to look at them again. "Its point of origin is Jynn-jin 13."

Broco blinked at the man in surprise before turning to the princesses. They both were frowning in confusion. He turned back to Lessbru. "Hail them. See if they answer."

"On it." He twisted back around and set to work.

The main viewscreen suddenly flashed and became white. Seconds later a young, pale blonde woman with luminescent green eyes was staring around at them in surprise and confusion.

Surah and Leta both jumped to their feet, exclaiming, "Diamond!" at the same time.

_"Lady Surah? Leta?" _she asked in surprise.

Sushinae jumped up, having just noticed who the woman on screen was. "Diamond! You're alive!" She grinned, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Oh thank the gods…"

Diamond grinned back. _"Falmer is, too. I'm so glad to see you all safe!"_

"Falmer's alive?" Sushinae laughed and clasped her hands together, closing her eyes against the tears of joy that threatened to fall.

Leta and Surah exchanged glances, smiling in genuine joy.

Broco stepped forward. "Whose ship are you aboard?"

_"Oh, this belongs to a man named Berik. He rescued us. As well as Bardock and Seripa; they're here, too, by the way." _She looked over her shoulder before turning back to the screen with a laugh. _"Though they're a little busy at the moment."_

Turles jerked his head around to stare at Broco in stunned amazement, before looking back to the screen with an elated laugh. Broco looked down and closed his eye with a smile.

_"Oh, and a Saiyan woman named Amotto."_

His eye opened and he nearly snapped his neck as he looked back up to the screen. "What did you just say?" he demanded as he took an involuntary step forward.

Diamond blinked in surprise as everyone aboard the bridge turned to look at him. _"Amotto. A Saiyan woman that Berik is working to keep alive. Her survival is touch and go, but Berik is confident that he can save her."_

Broco stared at the screen in open-mouthed amazement as his head started to swim. His legs crumpled beneath him, but he felt weightless as he hit the floor, his vision going black. The last thing he saw before he passed out was Turles, Etapa, Leta and Surah standing over him and regarding him with concern.

But Amotto was alive. That was all that mattered to him.

_**DBZ**_


	20. Never Again

_**Chapter Twenty: Never Again**_

"_All that I have left inside is a soul that's filled with pride_

_I tell you never again!_

_Their depraved society didn't end up killing me_

_Scream with me never again!_

_Not again._

_For the countless souls who died_

_Let our voices fill this night_

_Sing with me, never again!_

_They aren't lost you see, the truth will live in me_

_Believe me, NEVER AGAIN!"_

_**DBZ**_

"Ah, if it isn't my little brother…"

Frieza, having just stepped foot onto the bridge of his father's ship, paused and scowled sideways at a tall, silver and purple Ice-jin with a smooth, hornless head.

"Coola…Why are you here?"

Coola grinned and shrugged, but didn't answer. He looked pointedly away and to the center of the darkened bridge where a massive dark purple Ice-jin was standing with his back to them. He resembled the form that Frieza had briefly taken to fight against Tettuce as an Oozaru.

"It matters not why your brother is here, Frieza," said the tall Ice-jin; their father King Cold. "He is here for another reason entirely. You, on the other hand," he continued as he turned to face them. He glared across the bridge at the diminutive tyrant. "You have done questionable things as of late. Explain to me why you have destroyed Planet Gylder and why you have killed Lord Ryo of the Flazerian Empire."

Frieza frowned as he regarded his father. "I merely destroyed our enemies, father." He glared at his brother as he snickered behind his hand.

"You have destroyed the balance in the universe. Three empires reigned supreme, keeping their distance from the others. The Flazerians had their territory as well as the Gylderians," said Cold with a scowl to his youngest son.

"I have freed up their territories for us to claim!" exclaimed Frieza. "We are the only Empire left and now—"

"SILENCE!" Cold's roar echoed about the bridge. The multitude of aliens under his command jumped at the sound of his voice and did their best not to look towards him. He glanced around at them and snarled, "Leave us." No one made a sound as they rushed to leave the three Ice-jins to themselves.

Frieza watched them leave before returning his gaze to his father. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't, you foolish boy." Cold snapped angrily. He stepped off the dais where his massive throne was mounted. "You don't understand a thing about the balance of the universe."

"Then explain it to me," Frieza huffed in annoyance.

His father sneered as he approached the two of them, stopping just short of Frieza so that the shorter Ice-jin had to crane his neck to look up at him. "You may have freed up their territories but that does not mean they will be ours for the taking. Neither the Flazerians nor the Gylderians would allow for their people to fear us. If we try and take control now, even with the fear of their planets being destroyed, the people of those territories will actively rebel. You have succeeded in doing nothing but raising an army against us! The remaining Gylderians will gladly side with the Flazerians before they side with us!"

"Then we will destroy them, father! We are the three most powerful Ice-jins in the universe. No one can stand against us!"

"That is where you're wrong, Frieza," Cold said quietly in a dangerous voice. "Power means nothing if we are outnumbered. Our forces went from being equal to the other two Empires to being massively outmatched nearly overnight! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Frieza scowled at his father. "I say _you_ understand nothing, Father. I understand clearly the fear the Northern Galaxy has for me. For the entire Cold Empire. I, alone, destroyed our ancient enemies, the Saiyans—"

"A pointless endeavor! You know nothing about the ancient wars with them, because you are too young to remember!"

"Father, I am over 200 years old! I understand plenty!"

"Apparently not…" the massive Ice-jin snarled. "I am well aware that you failed to destroy them all. Even a handful of Saiyans is more than enough to stand against us. Do you know nothing of the legend of the Super Saiyan?"

"It is but a legend, Father. Nothing more."

Cold stooped down and snatched Frieza up by his neck, lifting him so that his son was eye-to-eye with him. "A legend based in _fact_! As you are over 200, I am well over 1000 years old! I have seen a Super Saiyan with my own two eyes. I have fought against a Super Saiyan and now stand here to tell the tale! Super Saiyans exist! And we do not want even a single one to appear today." He threw Frieza roughly to the floor of the bridge.

Coola snickered again but otherwise remained silent.

"Super Saiyans exist, Frieza!" Cold repeated, seething. "And if even _one_ were to appear…The Ice-jins would be doomed. It is because of the Super Saiyans that there are so few of us today! Do you not remember what I have told you about the Clerics of the Old World?"

"I remember, Father," Frieza mumbled as he gathered himself to his feet. "I remember that they are the ancient priests and priestesses of the original Saiyan home-world. But they no longer exist, so why do they matter? They were the only ones with the blood to become Super Saiyans!"

"Again, you are wrong!" Cold roared in anger. "Clerics were the only ones that were allowed to become Super Saiyans. They were the only ones that were trained and taught in the ancient ways. It was the Saiyans' way of making sure that only a handful could become Super Saiyans and to ensure that the power of a Super Saiyan would never be used against them!"

Frieza blinked up in surprise at his father. "I don't…I don't understand."

Cold growled and then roared as he suddenly backhanded Frieza across the bridge, his eyes following his trajectory as he slammed violently into a wall; the entire ship shuddered under the impact. "You foolish foolish boy! You have learned absolutely nothing! NOTHING!"

Frieza climbed to his feet and glared at Cold. "What do I have to learn if there exists not a single Saiyan that can stand against _me_? I killed Tettuce, the Harbinger of Doom as he was called. I defeated two Oozarus without even using my full power!"

"Oozarus do not have even a fraction of the power of a Super Saiyan, so that means absolutely nothing to me!" Cold turned his back to Frieza and stalked back to his throne. He turned sharply with a whisk of his cape and glared at his youngest. "With the monkeys under our thumb there was no threat of them rediscovering what they're capable of. Now that you have foolishly destroyed Planet Vegeta…You may have set into motion cataclysmic events."

"Surely, father, you don't truly believe that." Frieza gaped up at Cold, who merely glared back.

"You have single-handedly upset the balance of the universe! Of course I believe that! The Super Saiyan will rise again. And it will be because of you, _Frieza_!"

Coola snickered again, which quickly became a laugh, drawing the attention of Cold and Frieza. "Way to go, little brother. The whole universe is doomed and it is entirely your fault!"

"That is enough Coola!" snapped Cold. "This is no laughing matter. Frieza," Cold looked down at Frieza again, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I can see that you still do not understand the gravity of the situation we now find ourselves in. Either way, I want you to seek out the last of the Saiyans and eradicate them from the universe! Before it is too late. Now go! Coola and I have other things to discuss."

Frieza bowed his head wordlessly and turned to stride quickly from the bridge. A murderous glare came across his features as the door slid closed behind him.

_**DBZ**_

__Berik, having just awoken from his much needed nap, stretched and blinked his eyes against the weight of fatigue. With a yawn he stepped toward the tiny porthole looking out into space. In mid-yawn and mid-stretch it quickly occurred to him that his ship was no longer moving. Mainly because he was staring at a battered Imperial Cruiser drifting dangerously close to his ship. If it wasn't for the fact that he recognized the ship, he might have panicked and rushed to the bridge. As it was he did recognize it as Tettuce's ship and it was with confusion that he left his quarters and went to the bridge.

The door slid open and he blinked in surprise to see a shaggy-headed Saiyan standing talking with Seripa. Of course he immediately recognized the man as Bardock but he had been certain the man still had at least a day or two left before he was ready to emerge from his chamber.

The door slid closed behind him as he stepped through and he briefly glanced at Falmer's chamber to see the man still unconscious within. He looked then to Amotto's chamber and nodded in approval to see that the gash on her chest had almost completely scarred up.

"What did I miss?" he asked as he turned back to the small group gathered at the front of the bridge.

Seripa looked from Bardock to him and grinned. "Well we caught up to Aurah and her entourage. But apparently," she said with a sudden frown, "Aurah no longer exists. But that's kind of a long story."

"Spare me the details," Berik said with a laugh. "I know the story behind Leta and Surah's merger." When the other three gave him perplexed looks, he grinned. "I have my ways. More importantly, I need to work with Amotto as soon as possible. Before her wounds heal and I cannot reattach her limbs."

Bardock grimaced and cast a glance to the unconscious Saiyan woman at the back of the bridge. "She's a tough one. To be as weak as she was and to survive an attack from Frieza…" he trailed off and shook his head. "I'm anxious to see how powerful she'll be once she's healed. How long do you think it'll take?"

Berik turned to regard Amotto with a frown. "I'm not sure. Maybe a month at the most. Could be sooner, though. Only time will tell," he finished as turned back to them. "Anyway, what is going on? Why are we stopped?"

Diamond spun around in the pilot's seat, a grin on her usually stoic face. "Broco is working on their hyper-drive engines."

"Oh. Well why don't you see if he could take a look at ours? Darn things have been out of use for so long, I was nervous about activating them."

"Two steps ahead of you, Berik." Seripa grinned apologetically as he looked at her in surprise. "We tried to activate them a while ago to see if they would work. They won't, to answer your question. Once he has theirs back up and running he's going to board and take a look at ours. He thinks, though, that the power cells may just need a jump."

"That would be nice. Well I'll leave you all to it then. I am going to tend to Amotto." He turned away and strode to Amotto's chamber to begin draining it.

Bardock quirked a brow and then looked to Seripa who grinned up at him. "Straight to the point, eh?"

"Yeah, he doesn't dilly-dally. Anyway, Bardock, don't change the subject. Tell me what you know about Turpin."

He grimaced and sighed. "Damn it, Seripa. I keep tellin' you that I don't know nothin' about him. Just what Tettuce told me and I've done told you that!"

Seripa narrowed her eyes and smiled slightly. "Okay then. Well tell me about these visions of the future then."

"What's to tell? I can see the future." He shrugged. "Not much to say other than that."

"Well, tell me what you've seen!" she demanded with a sudden glare. "Quit beatin' around the damn bush!"

Bardock laughed and narrowed his eyes down at her. "Fine. I saw Vegeta being destroyed before it happened. I've seen what becomes of Kakarrot. And I've…" he trailed off as he thought of what he'd seen for Raditz. "I've seen what happens to Raditz…" he said as he looked down to the floor.

Seripa had been about to ask about Kakarrot, but the way Bardock's whole mood shifted when he mentioned Raditz couldn't have escaped her notice. "What do you mean?"

Her mate blinked and looked up quickly. He frowned and looked away. "He's goin' to become a cold-blooded and insane murderer. I…watched him rip the heart from a defenseless alien's chest. And he laughed about it."

Seripa blinked and cocked her head slightly. "That ain't no different than anything we've ever done."

Bardock growled. "I know that! That's why I can't stand it!" he snapped angrily.

Seripa flinched and frowned slightly. "My point, Bardock, was that that is what happens under Frieza's rule."

"And we're no longer under his rule. And Raditz ain't gonna be for much longer if I have anythin' to say about it!" he growled under his breath. He stepped away and stormed to the other side of the bridge. Considering the size of the bridge he didn't have more than fifteen feet to put between himself and her.

She frowned after him and glanced towards Diamond who quickly twisted around in her seat to continue her conversation with Sushinae via the screen set into the dash. She looked back to her mate and walked over to him. She touched his arm and he tensed at her touch. "Bardock, what's bothering you?"

He was silent for a moment before sighing. He looked down at her, his eyes dark with a sorrow she had never before seen. "I've seen…I've seen what becomes of Kakarrot. And compared to what's goin' to happen to Raditz…I can't allow that to happen to him. Kakarrot is goin' to grow up to be a kind-hearted and powerful man." He wanted to tell her about him becoming a Super Saiyan, but he had already decided to keep that to himself. For the time being anyway. "And seeing the way Kakarrot is as an infant…I can't help but to feel that we Saiyans ain't meant for the death and destruction we've caused."

Seripa frowned in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"

Bardock looked away and out into the darkness of space. "Kakarrot was laughing and happy as a total stranger picked him up. He didn't try to bite him; he didn't try to hurt him in any way. What are we supposed to be like? You and I have grown up used to this shit. But for a kid who's never seen any of it…Well Kakarrot pretty much proved to me that Saiyans are supposed to be peaceful…" He sighed. "Well maybe not peaceful but not cold-blooded murderers anyway. Frieza…he…" he trailed off, shaking his head. What could he say?

"He ruined our lives, Bardock." He looked down at her and she smiled up at him. "But we see the error of our ways now. And for what he forced us to do we're going to kill him. Him and his entire family, right?"

Bardock stared down at her in silence for a moment before smirking and nodding. "Yeah. We'll make him pay ten times over."

"Hey, Seripa?" Diamond suddenly called from the front of the bridge. "Turles wants to talk to you. He insists." She arched an eyebrow as she turned to look at her and Bardock.

Seripa raised her eyebrows. "Really? Okay…" She and Bardock both walked to the front of the bridge and Seripa took Diamond's place as she moved out of the seat. She smirked down at the image of the boy looking up at her. "Hey brat. What do you want?"

Turles rolled his eyes. _"I want you to stop callin' me a brat for one. For two," _He glanced over his shoulder and then leaned in conspiratorially. _"Have you seen Leta, yet?"_

"Um, no. Why?" She frowned. What could he possibly mean by asking that? She hadn't had the opportunity to yet speak with the Saiyan woman or the Gylderian woman known as Surah.

_"Because the woman looks damn near identical to you!" _he said in a hissing whisper.

"Huh?" Her frown vanished to be replaced with a look of surprise. "What do you mean?"

_"Gah! Here, look for yourself!" _He moved away from the camera and Seripa leaned in close to see a Saiyan woman sitting next to a Gylderian woman at the center of the bridge. Her eyes shot open and she gasped aloud.

"Holy hell! She looks just like my mom!" she exclaimed in shock. She suddenly frowned. "But that can't be…My mom didn't have a twin…" She glanced up at Bardock but he just shrugged. He was obviously as confused as she was.

Turles reappeared in front of the camera as she looked back down to the screen. _"Whatever. She looks just like you. She's gotta be related somehow, right?"_

"Not necessarily," Seripa growled in annoyance. But even she couldn't deny the resemblance. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that Leta _was _her mom.

_"What was your mom's name?" _Turles suddenly asked.

Seripa blinked and then frowned. "Seluri…" she ventured cautiously. "Why?"

_"I'm goin' to ask what Leta's mom's name was. Be right back!" _And before she could stop him he hurried away across the bridge to Leta.

"Grr…damn brat." Seripa mumbled under her breath. She honestly wasn't sure if she wanted to know who Leta's mother was. What if she said her own mother's name? Then that would mean that her mother had had secrets…

_"Seripa?"_

Seripa looked down sharply to see violet eyes looking up at her from the screen. She jerked back in surprise and gaped at the mirror-image looking up at her. "Um…yeah."

_"I see. Turles was right: we _do_ look alike. He also told me your mother's name was Seluri. Is that right?" asked the princess._

"Um…yeah." Seripa could have smacked herself for the way she was acting. But what else was she supposed to do? What else was she supposed to say?

_"I see." _Leta was silent, a frown creasing her forehead as she lifted a hand to idly chew on her thumb. _"I see," _she repeated as she lifted her gaze to meet Seripa's. _"Then you and I must speak soon. I believe that we have much to discuss." _She suddenly turned and walked away. Turles stepped into view, his back to the camera as he watched her walk away.

Seripa looked up at Bardock to see him frowning in confusion. "What?"

"She looks just like you, Seripa. I would've thought she was you if you weren't sittin' right next to me." He looked down at her and arched a brow.

_"Now you know how me and Broco felt when we saw her. For a second I thought she _was _you. It was creepy as shit." _Turles laughed but it faltered when Bardock cast him a glare. _"Seriously. I don't mean nothin' by it. Just you should have been there, I guess."_

"Yeah, I guess," said Bardock coldly. "Anyway, you have yet to explain to me why our father is dead," he suddenly said, changing the subject. "Yes, Seripa told me what happened."

Turles' eyes widened and he quickly looked away. He was silent as his expression slowly changed and then he sighed. _"Look…I'm not proud of what I did, okay? I shouldn't have done it, I admit. I just…I got so pissed at him. The way he kept goin' on and on about you. Then when he found the fruit and said he wanted to bring some home for you…I don't know…somethin' just snapped." _He shrugged and met his brother's dark gaze. _"I ain't askin' for forgiveness. But I am sorry."_

Bardock glared down at Turles for a few moments before suddenly smirking. "Good. Father was an idiot anyway. And to be honest, I never liked him. He only liked me because of how strong I was. But either way, you shouldn't have done it. Not that it matters anymore considerin' but so long as you're sorry."

Turles blinked up at Bardock in stunned silence. He shook his head and then peered intently up at him. _"Are you serious? That's it? You jump my ass for a second and then all is forgiven?"_

Bardock shrugged as his mate giggled. "What's done is done. And I would've killed him myself eventually. He was just so damn annoying," he sighed as he shook his head. "Trust me, Turles. You did us all a favor."

Turles frowned and scratched the back of his head. _"Um…okay, I guess." _He blinked and looked intently at Bardock, as if he were seeing him for the first time. _"What the hell? What happened to your hair?"_

Bardock rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine. Soon as I find out I'll let everyone know," he said sarcastically. He was getting tired of people asking him how his hair had grown. He had no idea. He just wished everyone would drop it.

_"Geez. Touchy about your 'do?" _Turles laughed as his brother scowled at him. _"Okay, I have another question then. How are you alive? Seripa told me that she watched you die against Frieza when he destroyed our planet. But here you are talkin' to me. Can you answer that question?"_

Bardock looked away and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm alive; that's all that matters." He glanced down at Seripa and narrowed his eyes at her as she frowned up at him. "What?"

"You may as well tell him what you told me. You're alive alright, but it still doesn't make sense," she finished, confusion weighing heavily in her tone.

He sighed in response and lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Okay. Fine." He looked down at Turles. "Back on Kanassa there's somethin' called the Pool of Life. Accordin' to local legend the Pool is a sentient being that can grant life to anyone it chooses. And apparently it chose me, but I ain't figured out why, yet."

"Maybe something to do with your visions, Bardock," Seripa suggested.

_"Visions? Pool of Life? Did Frieza scramble your brains?" _asked Turles with a wary expression.

Bardock scowled down at him. "Not as bad as I'm gonna scramble yours! Just listen, alright?" When Turles didn't say anything in response, he continued. "While we were on Kanassa I was attacked by a lone Kanassan. It was shortly after we'd finished wiping the planet clean of life. But one had survived and he struck me at the base of my neck." He indicated the spot he was referring to. "Ever since then I've been able to see the future. It was why I raced back to Vegeta to try and stop Frieza: I had seen our planet's destruction in a vision."

He sighed and lifted a hand to run over his face. "Obviously I failed. But the Kanassan that did this to me is still alive; he lives in me through my visions. Anytime I have a vision I can speak freely with him. Strange as it is, he offers advice and helps me to understand my visions. I've seen Kakarrot in them and I've seen Raditz."

_"Wait, Kakarrot? I thought he'd been incinerated? That's what pops told me."_

Seripa rolled her eyes. "Now who's got scrambled brains? I told you about this back on Jynn-jin 13; while we were in the cells. He's still alive."

_"Ah, yeah, that's right. I forgot," _Turles said unnecessarily.

Bardock smirked and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, according to my visions…" he trailed off and glanced away. He had been about to tell them both that it was Kakarrot's destiny to destroy Frieza. He frowned and looked back to the screen. "According to the visions we're gonna fail in killin' Frieza. But I'm dead-set on changin' that future."

Turles quirked an eyebrow and sat back from the camera, folding his arms across his armored chest. _"Well that sucks. You think you _can_ change the future?"_

Bardock shrugged. "I don't honestly know. But I sure as hell ain't gonna give up without tryin'." His eyes narrowed and he looked down. "I owe it to the people I've killed…"

Turles blinked up at his brother in surprise before shifting his gaze to Seripa. She was looking up at him, as well. He frowned and returned his gaze to Bardock. _"Damn you've changed. Not in a bad way," _he hastily said when Bardock's cold eyes leveled on him. _"Just…you've changed."_

His brother sighed and shook his head slowly. "I know. But…we'll all have to change to fight Frieza. I see the past as clearly as the future. And I loathe myself and all other Saiyans for the things we've done. Tettuce had to right of it: we should've abandoned the treaty with Frieza ages ago."

"Then Frieza would have destroyed Planet Vegeta a long time ago." Seripa and Bardock turned to see Berik standing behind them. He smiled apologetically. "Forgive the eavesdropping. Seripa," he said as he turned to her, "Could you assist me with Amotto, please?"

Seripa glanced at Bardock and then Turles, before standing and following the Jynn-jin to the back of the ship. Bardock watched her walk away before looking back down to Turles.

_"He's right, you know," _said Turles with a lop-sided grin._ "Tettuce may've had the right of it, but he would've gotten us all killed before our times."_

Bardock frowned and looked down before sighing. "Yeah, maybe so. Either way I'm goin' to make sure Frieza pays. One way or another, Frieza will die."

_"No doubt in my mind," _said Turles with a smirk. _"Not a doubt, at all."_

_**DBZ**_

__Broco cursed and jerked his hand away from the turbine of the hyper-drive engine. He glared in frustration at the fresh gash on his index finger as it started to ooze red. "Pathetic." He shook his head with a sigh and straightened away from the engine. His eyes roved over the cylindrical portion that connected to a massive open turbine; most of the engine was shielded from view by a metallic cover. The only open portion was the turbine which, as it happened, was all he needed to check. He was surprised to find that while they had been nonresponsive, for the most part they were undamaged. A few parts had been knocked loose by the attack on the ship but they were otherwise unharmed.

"You alright?" asked Blythe from where he was leaning against the wall, his arms folded across the chest plate of his black and silver armor. He had offered to assist Broco but it had quickly become apparent that the young man was more hindrance than help. He arched an eyebrow as Broco turned to scowl at him.

"Just fine. Radio up and have Lessbru activate Hyper-Drive Engine One."

Blythe flashed a grin and pressed a tiny button on a speaker box in the wall beside him. "Hey, Lessbru. Activate HD-E1."

_"Roger."_

"Blythe."

_"No, roger means…ugh, nevermind."_

Blythe chuckled and released the button. Broco rolled his eye and turned to the engine just as the turbine kicked on and began to spin. The massive cylindrical engine hummed and sparks flashed from the turbine. He smiled appreciatively and turned back to Blythe. "Okay, good. All four engines are ready to go."

"So I see," remarked Blythe dryly.

"Well, radio up to Lessbru and let him know." Broco frowned at the strange look that suddenly came across the young Gylderian's features.

Blythe smiled and pressed the button. "Hey, Lessy. All four engines are good to go. Kill HD-E1."

_"Rog—" _Blythe released the button before Lessbru finished speaking and straightened up from the wall as the engine shut down.

"Broco, did you know that I was Zether's most prized protégé?" He grinned and unfolded his arms as his luminescent green eyes flashed over the Saiyan. "I'm easily stronger than you, you know."

Broco arched a brow suspiciously. _What does he mean? _Aloud, he said, "What does that have to do with anything?"

Blythe grinned and shrugged. "I'm also stronger than that brat, Turles."

"Again, what does—" Broco began.

"And," Blythe interrupted, "I've been working for Frieza this entire time." His grin broadened as Broco's eye widened.

Broco glanced towards the open door quickly. He looked at Blythe and then suddenly lunged for the door, but Blythe appeared in front of him and drove his fist deep into the Saiyan's gut. He gasped for breath as he stumbled away from the young man, collapsing to his knees. He looked up at Blythe, struggling to suck in air. "W..w…" He wanted to ask why but the Gylderian had collapsed his lungs with a single strike.

"Why? Because…" Blythe's features darkened and he knelt down to glare into Broco's eye. "I've been tired of living in Zether's shadow. I've been working for Frieza since before that bitch Seripa stranded us on Jynn-jin 13. In fact," he grinned again and lifted a hand and touched his index finger to Broco's forehead. "Frieza knows exactly where we are and where we are heading. He'll get to Celestine Prime before us…and he'll blow it out of space, Turpin included." He laughed and then flicked the Saiyan in his forehead; there was enough power in the strike to knock him back into the engine, but not hard enough to damage it.

He stood up and towered over the injured Saiyan. "And, because I know you're wondering, I volunteered to assist you so I could kill you. And then destroy the hyper drive engines. Why? Because…I knew it'd be fun." He chuckled evilly and narrowed his eyes.

"Well, that's good to know."

Blythe spun around to see Turles standing in the open doorway. "Good thing I decided to come down and check on the progress, then." His eyes narrowed dangerously and he scowled as he clenched his fists tight. "Get away from him. Now," he hissed quietly.

Blythe grinned and straightened up. "Or what? Surely you don't think you can stand against me?"

Turles smiled slightly. "You're a weakling. I ain't stupid. You may be stronger than Broco but you sure as hell ain't stronger than _me_."

The Gylderian laughed which made Turles raise his eyebrows. "You seriously believe that, kid? I can feel your power plain as I can see you standing before me. You are insanely powerful for a Saiyan. But you are not as strong as me."

Turles' smile broadened as his eyes narrowed to mere slits. "You shouldn't have called me 'kid.' Before I kill you for the insult I'll let you in on a little secret…"

He vanished and almost instantly reappeared immediately in front of Blythe. The Gylderian had barely enough time to register the fact before a powerful fist drove deep into his stomach, shattering his armor on his stomach and on his back. Blythe gaped in airless horror as he felt numbness spreading from the point of impact; the pain would register soon. He forced his twitching eyes to turn and look at Turles. How was the boy _this_ powerful? He had a power reading of 35,000! The boy had last been measured at 27,000! He shouldn't have been damaged this much!

Turles grinned at the look of horror on the Gylderian's face and stepped back. "I can suppress my power level. Few Saiyans have the ability, but guess what? I'm one of those few." He looked past the Gylderian as Broco coughed violently and struggled to his feet shakily.

"T-turles…Take this trash to the princesses. I have to get to the other ship." He stumbled and then ran wobbly out of the room.

Turles stared after him for a moment before looking down at Blythe who was glaring daggers up at him. "I'll take you to the princesses. But first…" He brought his fist up and then drove it down into Blythe's face.

_**DBZ**_

Leta looked at Surah and Surah looked at Leta. After a moment they looked down at the bloody, bruised, and battered Blythe lying at the foot of the dais. As one they looked up to Turles, but it was Leta who spoke, saying, "Now what exactly happened again?"

Turles smiled and folded his arms. "This punk here tried to kill Broco. You can contact him over on Berik's ship if you want to make sure I ain't lying. I can wait. And so can Blythe," he said as he glanced down and nudged the unconscious man with the toe of his boot. He had beaten the living daylights out of him. He hadn't meant to be so rough but once he got started…well, it had been pretty difficult to stop.

"I see." Leta glanced at Surah again.

"Highnesses?" She and Surah both looked at Sushinae standing behind Turles; the Saiyan turned with an arch of his brow.

Sushinae was looking down at Blythe, her eyes displaying the anger she was obviously feeling. "Is it true? Did he really say that he was working for Frieza?" Turles had arrived just minutes before carrying the unconscious Gylderian across his shoulder. After unceremoniously depositing him on the floor, he had proceeded to tell Leta and Surah what he had overheard before making his presence known to the Gylderian. Of course they had been wary of his claim considering his past. But also considering the way he had defended them with his blood draining…well, it was just kind of difficult to deny the truth.

Turles glanced at Sushinae and nodded grimly. "Unfortunately. Wish it wasn't true, but I know what I heard."

Sushinae frowned and looked down. "I sensed the disturbance. But I didn't know what to make of it."

The door to the bridge slid open and everyone turned to see Seripa and Bardock walk onto the bridge. Seripa looked immediately to Blythe and frowned.

"Broco told us what happened," said Bardock as he looked down at Blythe, as well. "We figured it best to go on ahead. Berik said they would catch up to us soon. If this…_trash_ really did tell Frieza, then we need to go. _Now._"

Surah nodded and glanced to Peppa. "Are we still docked with Berik's ship?"

"We won't be in just a few minutes." The long-haired woman immediately set to work.

"Good. As soon as you are finished, put distance between us and the other ship and then go immediately into hyper-space. We must reach Celestine Prime before Frieza does." Surah looked then to Seripa and then to Leta, her eyes widening as she noticed for the first time that the two women looked nearly identical. "Oh my…"

Leta glanced at Surah and then looked at Seripa. She grimaced as she realized that just about everyone aboard was looking between her and the other woman.

Seripa lifted her gaze from Blythe and looked at Leta. She frowned uncomfortably and then looked at Bardock. He met her gaze and smirked. He could tell she was bothered by the resemblance.

Leta sighed and stood up. "I suppose you and I should speak now. Come with me, Seripa. I would rather do this in private." Without another word she strode to the door and exited the bridge.

Seripa stared after her and then looked to Bardock. "I'll be back soon." With a sigh she hurried off the bridge.

_**DBZ**_

__Broco watched as the Imperial Cruiser suddenly vanished in a bright flash and he allowed himself a slight smirk. Even if Blythe had been telling the truth about Frieza knowing where they were going, with the Hyperdrive engines working again Seripa and the others would make it to Celestine Prime far ahead of the Ice-Jin. Or at least far enough ahead to grab Turpin and hightail it out of there.

He sighed and turned to regard Berik as he was carefully positioning Amotto's right arm to the unhealed stump he was going to attempt to attach it to. He grimaced as he turned his eye to look at her still form lying on a metal table beneath a blanket.

"Can you repair the damage, Berik?" he asked with a slight catch in his throat. He hated seeing Amotto like this. He was glad to see that she had survived but to see her in such an injured state…He approached the table and looked down at her surprisingly peaceful face. He smiled and slowly lifted a hand to gently brush his fingers across the soft skin of her cheek.

Berik lifted his gaze and regarded Broco with an arched brow. He looked back down at Amotto and then back to Broco and he smiled slightly. "I am confident that she will be whole once more. As I've said to Seripa, it is a miracle that she even survived. But I do not work in miracles and I do firmly believe that I can make her, aside from the scars, as she once was."

Broco did not take his eyes from Amotto's face as he nodded. "That is good."

"You care for her, don't you?" asked Berik suddenly.

Broco jerked his hand away and looked up at Berik in surprise. The Jynn-jin smiled and lowered his gaze back to his work.

"Forgive me if I overstepped any boundaries. It is quite obvious, though."

The Saiyan male smiled slightly and looked down at the green haired woman. "Yes, I do. More than I was originally aware."

"I suspected as much. You two did spend countless hours in your cells talking when the others were asleep. I believe I saw it then, and I am willing to wager that she did as well." Berik paused and glanced up at Berik over the rim of his glasses. "You know, Saiyans never struck me as the types of beings to show compassion. Watching you two, especially, has proven me wrong in my first assumption."

"We Saiyans are a complicated race." Broco smiled and stepped away from the table. "If we're to make any actual time I need to go have a look at your Hyperdrive engines." He looked down at Amotto one last time and smiled again. And without another word he left the bridge to begin his work.

Berik stared after the man with a slight smirk and then glanced around at Diamond sitting in the pilot's chair. He smiled and gestured at Falmer's tank. "Would you mind checking his vitals? I am sure they are fine, but I do like to stay on top of progress."

As Diamond nodded and stood up, Berik returned to his work. He reached to a small stand beside him and picked up a gun-shaped tool as he made one last adjustment to the alignment of Amotto's arm.

_**DBZ**_

_**(Individual Lies here. I apologize for the wait on this one. The chapter has been almost done for quite a while but my computer fried a few months back. A week ago I bought a new one so the chapters **_**should **_**be rolling out now. Also I finally know how I am going to end this story. I am glad that it is as popular as it is and that it is being enjoyed by so many people. I really don't know what to say regarding it. It makes me…well, for a writer I am sometimes lacking in words when I need them. Lol Anyway, I recently got a new job and as I am working in the oilfield once more I will have a lot more time off. Two weeks on and two weeks off. Beautiful schedule. I would've had the chapter up sooner but these days off have been hectic. I actually had to come home early for a funeral and there's been a lot of family drama surrounding that. Not to mention other personal issues I've been having. Anyway, enough about that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and as always please continue to read and review!)**_


	21. Your Betrayal (Part I)

_**Chapter Twenty-One: Your Betrayal  
**Am I going insane?  
My blood is boiling inside of my veins  
An evil feeling attacks...  
My body is aching, there's no turning back  
So take your eyes off the trigger  
I'm not to blame if your world turns to black  
As your eyes start to blister  
There's just no hope for our final embrace  
** Your Betrayal-Bullet For My Valentine**_

_**DBZ**_

Seripa's violet eyes followed Leta closely as the princess paced back and forth across her quarters. She had been watching her doppelganger for nearly a half hour as the woman marched first one way and then back the other, a frown of consternation distorting her features. Seripa wasn't known for her patience, but she was far more patient than Bardock. After thirty seconds of pacing he would have already demanded Leta to spill her guts. But Seripa was in no hurry to hear the tale that she was certain the other woman was going to tell her. What secrets did her mother have? It was apparent to her that Leta was a BIG secret that Seluri had kept from her.

Leta suddenly paused and lifted her head. She squared her shoulders and rounded on Seripa suddenly. "What I am about to tell you I never thought I would tell anyone other than Tettuce. For years I believed my mother to be dead, but your existence proves otherwise. Your mother's name was Seluri…My mother's name was Seluri."

Seripa tensed as Leta paused and she gripped the seat of the metal chair she was sitting in hard enough to dent the steel. She held her breath as she waited for Leta to continue.

The other woman sighed and clenched her hands into fists as she closed her eyes tightly. "I know the history of my birth. My father was Lord Spinac, cousin to King Vegeta. My mother had briefly been Vegeta's mistress, but that did not last once he met his mate, Queen Carotia. She was shunned and more or less forgotten. My father had always fancied her, however, and soon he and she began a romance. Once Vegeta found out…well, he put an end to that." She frowned and bared her teeth in barely repressed anger. She took a breath and opened her eyes to regard Seripa evenly.

"Shortly after their relationship ended Seluri discovered that she was pregnant with me. Living in the palace she had to hide the fact, especially since she was not sure whether or not Vegeta or my father had sired her child. She was not able to hide the pregnancy for long, and eventually Vegeta found out. He had my mother thrown into the dungeons until she gave birth to me. He intended to destroy me the second I left the womb."

She smiled sourly. "Fortunately for me, I was born premature, but healthy. Father quickly spirited me away and sent me to live with his Gylderian friend, Lord Vogan, who took me in and raised me as his own. Father told Vegeta that I had died at birth and that he had taken the liberty of throwing my body into the incinerator. I never met my mother, but Spinac visited me as frequently as he was able and growing up I heard countless tales about Seluri. I know our mother's history, as I am sure you do."

Seripa frowned and shook her head. "I don't know anything about her other than that she hated my father and King Vegeta with a passion that was unrivaled. She never really told me anything about herself, come to think of it…"

Leta blinked in surprise, her eyes rising high enough to vanish beneath the bangs brushing her forehead. "So you do not know about her being a former Cleric of the Old World?"

Seripa looked up and quirked an eyebrow. "A what?"

"Are you serious? You have never heard of the Clerics?"

Seripa frowned again and shook her head. "Never. I didn't even know anything like that existed."

Leta sighed and shook her head. "Well Turpin can explain it better than I can…but the Clerics were an ancient holy order of Saiyans that studied the history of our race and knew the secrets of the Super Saiyans. They kept possession of ancient scrolls that supposedly detailed how to become a Super Saiyan."

"Wait, the Super Saiyan is nothing but a legend."

Leta smiled and shook her head again. "No, the Super Saiyan myth is no myth at all. Turpin told Tettuce all about the scrolls. Naturally they no longer exist, but Tettuce told me that Turpin, Seluri, and Ka'bijj memorized them as part of their studies to become Clerics. He told me that they were the last three Clerics in the entire universe after the Great War with the Ice-jins over a hundred years ago. They were barely able to finish their induction before the Clerics' training grounds were destroyed."

"Training grounds?"

Leta nodded. "Supposedly there were a number of planets that the Clerics utilized for training their members for the purpose of becoming Super Saiyans. According to Turpin there were once thousands of Super Saiyans. But the Clerics were established to prevent just anyone from becoming a Super Saiyan. They did not want to risk the creation of a psychotic super powered Saiyan. Something about a—"

"The Legend of the Super Saiyan," said Seripa suddenly, a frown distorting her features. "It was a story my mother used to tell me when I was a kid. She told me that thousands of years ago a Saiyan lost control, went crazy, and became a Super Saiyan. He almost destroyed the universe in his insanity, but ended up destroying himself instead."

Leta nodded. "Yes. But it was no legend. It actually did happen and Turpin recounted the story to Tettuce on numerous occasions." She frowned and folded her arms across her chest, lifting one hand to chew absently on her thumb. "I think it was because of Tettuce's…his…disorder. Turpin was trying to warn him against letting his anger get the best of him to keep him from slipping away if he ever succeeded in transforming. All I know about Super Saiyans is from what he told me. Turpin told him that the key to becoming a Super Saiyan lies in anger, but that one cannot let the anger consume oneself, otherwise…well…" She sighed and shook her head.

Seripa frowned again as she watched her sister. So Super Saiyans could exist, and had existed before and her mother—their mother—had been a member of a group that had been dedicated to protecting the secrets of becoming one. She had undergone the necessary training, but apparently had never successfully become one due to an ancient war between the Saiyans and Ice-jins. Her frown deepened and she clasped her hands together between her legs as she lowered her gaze to the floor. How old was her mother…?

"How old was Seluri?" she asked as she looked up.

Leta blinked and turned to Seripa with a look that almost suggested that she'd forgotten she was there. "How old was she?" she echoed. She frowned. "I was told that she was the youngest of the three by several decades. In fact she was one of the youngest to ever become a Cleric. If I'm not mistaken she should have been around…110 to 120 years old. She was still a teenager when the rest of the Clerics were destroyed."

Seripa's eyebrows shot up. "Gods…Saiyans can live that long?"

"Yes. Turpin is over 160 years old. If Ka'bijj had lived then he'd be close to 200 years old."

"Wow…" Seripa shook her head. "I've never seen a Saiyan live past 40 before. And I never knew my…our mother was that old."

Leta smiled slightly. "Indeed it is a shock. King Vegeta was almost as old as Seluri, though. He never spoke of his age, though. Compared to mother and the other two Clerics he was a weakling and he knew it."

"Then how was he able to throw Seluri into the dungeons?" Seripa asked with a frown.

"She went willingly from what I understand." Leta shrugged and sighed. "I do not fully understand it, but apparently she loved the bastard."

"Really? She had nothing good to say about him."

"Her feelings changed when he wanted me killed," Leta said sourly.

"I see." Seripa fell silent as she regarded her sister.

A sister. She had always thought that she was the only female in her family, but here was living proof that she wasn't. She wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the situation, but she did enjoy the fact that she did have family still alive. It was odd, though, that this woman had once been fused with a Gylderian woman; that she had once made up the being of a woman known as Aurah.

"So…uh…Aurah is gone? For good?"

Leta glanced away and sighed. She was silent for a time before sighing again. "Yes. Aurah…will never return. She embodied the love that Surah and I feel—felt for Tettuce. Becoming one with one another was a desperate decision made to keep Surah alive, but once it was done…we both decided to stay that way so that we could share in Tettuce's love. Surah and I grew up as sisters. I love her as if she were of the same blood as me; as if we were truly family. It was why we never fought about the situation with Tettuce. We loved him, he loved us and that was that. We all thought that it would be that way forever, but…when Cooler's men almost killed Surah and the Metamorian shaman suggested the idea to fuse us together to save her…I have to admit that the idea of combining our love for Tettuce that way did cross my mind. And it must have crossed hers, too, even though she was on the verge of death."

She smiled and shook her head. "We grew up together and did everything together. We were always sisters in everything but blood. And that will never change." She suddenly moved across the room and knelt down in front of Seripa, taking her hands into her own. She met Seripa's surprised violet-eyed gaze with her own violet eyes. "You and I are true sisters of blood. I am glad to know you and I sincerely hope that we can have a relationship as sisters."

Seripa blinked in surprise and gently pulled her hands free. "Fine by me. But Leta…Saiyans are not as touchy-feely as Gylderians are. Physical contact…well…"

Leta laughed quietly. "Yes, I understand. Tettuce and Spinac both told me numerous times how Saiyans are supposed to be. Sometimes I forget, so please forgive me."

Seripa grinned and shook her head. "You don't have to apologize; I understand. Well, no, I don't understand what it's like to grow up the way you did." She frowned and shook her head, lifting a hand to her temple with a sigh. "I grew up as a warrior. I fought with my—our brothers constantly pushing me around and bullying me. I had to be tough at an early age, but I will admit that I never understood why. I never understood why we had to be a certain way when my impulses called for something different."

"What do you mean?" asked Leta with a concerned frown.

Seripa laughed bitterly. "I wanted to be close with Seluri. I felt that I should have had a relationship with her that went beyond her telling me that I needed to be stronger. Honestly, Seluri was a bitch."

"I wonder why?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. Probably never will now."

"Well," said Leta with a slight smile. "I guess we'll just have to ask Turpin about that."

_**DBZ**_

_**One week ago…**_

"Unnnhh…What the hell…?" Glistening golden eyes opened slowly and looked up at a darkened, star-filled, and moonless sky. "Where am I?" Muscles tensed and contracted as a naked man with shoulder-length golden hair sat up slowly. He frowned and looked down at his hands, turning them over as he inspected his golden skin. He looked back up at the sky and then stood up slowly. He lifted a hand to scratch his chin and blinked in surprise as he lifted both hands to feel the thick golden beard that hung almost to his chest.

He frowned suddenly as he became aware of a faint shimmering light from behind him and he turned to see a glowing pool of water stretching out before him. The indigo light bathed his naked body in an eerie glow as he knelt at its edge. A frown knit his brows together as he held his hand above the water and watched the glow reflecting in a metallic sheen across his golden flesh. He clenched his fist tightly closed and closed his eyes.

"I'm alive…" he breathed out quietly and opened his eyes. He stood up and looked at the sky again.

"Yes, Zether, you are very much alive."

The man, Zether, looked down in sudden surprise at the water to see glowing blue eyes staring back at him. He recoiled in surprise and as he took a step back, the water suddenly began to bubble up and coalesce in a vaguely humanoid form; a vaguely _female _humanoid form. He blinked his golden eyes in surprise as a translucent indigo woman formed completely and stepped toward him. She smiled as Zether looked at her naked body in wonder.

Tiny air bubbles circulated through the woman's body as if they were following the same circulatory pattern as blood. Her body, if it could be called a body, shimmered with the same indigo light as the water. He shook his head in wonder as his eyes took in the contours of her form.

"Who…what are you?" he asked after a few minutes of blissful silence. The woman was _beautiful_! Easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, her beauty making Aurah seem plain in comparison.

"I am Vvalania. I am the last of my kind on this planet. We were once known as the Aguatians. Believe it or not, but we were once the guardians of the entire universe. All of life in the universe, as you know, is made up of water. Right?"

"Uh…yeah…" Zether blinked his golden eyes and frowned at the translucent woman. "Are you telling me…that your race created life in this universe?"

Vvalania smiled. "We created certain forms of life. Others were merely happy accidents. The real question on your mind, however, is not about whether or not my race created life. You, like Bardock, want to know why you are alive." Her smile never faltered, but her blue eyes seemed to darken a bit as she regarded him. "There are too few Aguatians left in the universe. At one time we possessed the means to keep beings like the Ice-jins from conquering the universe. Now we no longer have the necessary power. But there are beings that have come into existence since we created life that _do _have the power. Or that have the potential to possess the necessary power. You are one such being, Zether Zetra. Another is Bardock of the Saiyans. A man that, as I understand it, you have certain issues with."

Zether frowned as his thoughts turned to the man in question. "Yeah, I have my issues with him. He holds a record for destruction of life that no other being that served under Frieza ever topped. I'm not counting the Ginyu Force, of course. But Bardock took life and showed no remorse until after his race was destroyed…So, he really did die, then?" The significance of her mentioning Bardock had not escaped his notice. "And your kind brought him back? Why him? Why me? Why not Tettuce?"

Vvalania narrowed her eyes but kept her smile in place. "Bardock has a power that gives him a degree of insight into future events. With that ability he has an advantage over the Ice-jins. He can better prepare himself for the upcoming battle that will decide the fate of the universe. But only if he learns to interpret what he sees accurately. If he learns to have patience and prepare himself adequately for what is to come. He will be a valuable asset in the future. You were resurrected for one purpose, Zether. Yes, you have the potential to increase your power to stand against Frieza and his family. But there is another whose destiny will take her to that final battle, where she will play a major role in fighting against the Ice-jins. Right now she is in danger and the danger comes from your brother. He was almost killed in the last battle and is currently healing. But his mind was damaged and he has crossed the threshold into dark territory. Territory that, to date, only _one_ Gylderian has ever managed to cross to and cross back from. Your brother, when he awakens, will become what ancient Gylderians used to call _The Beast. _Falmer will become what you jokingly refer to as the Super Beast."

Zether blinked his golden eyes at her. Partly because of her intricate knowledge of his life; partly because she knew that he had become the Super Beast, as he called it; but mostly because his brother was alive. Alive and about to become the most dangerous creature in Gylderian lore. He, too, had become that monster during his Writ of Passage, but only his determination to not become the destroyer of his people had allowed him to descend from the ascension and to take control of an uncontrollable evil that apparently permeated his family's blood.

Slowly his eyes narrowed and he folded his arms across his chest. "So I am my brother's keeper, then?"

"In this instance, yes. Only you can reach him and bring him back from the abyss. And if unsuccessful in that, it must be you who destroys him." By this point, Vvalania was no longer smiling. "It is a difficult task that I ask of you, but a necessary task. And now that you are alive once more, you also will have a second chance at fighting Frieza. With your body fully restored you will notice that your strength has risen dramatically. You will also play an important role in the upcoming battle."

"But first I must deal with my brother, right? Who is so important that I must protect? And you never answered my question about Tettuce. Why wasn't he resurrected? He had more right, didn't he, to be brought back to life?" demanded Zether.

Vvalania's smile returned, but it now held a hint of regret. "Tettuce…You said that Bardock held a record that no one else, not including the Ginyu Force, had ever topped. Well that is where you are wrong. Tettuce's past would not allow us to, in good conscience, bring him back to life for the final battle. He was much too volatile, much too unpredictable, to allow us to grant him life once more. Never again will the Saiyan known as Tettuce walk this life. His time has come and gone, and it was all his own doing. He did not have to be the way he was when he was younger, but that was the life that he chose as an act of rebellion against his resented teacher and mentor, Turpin. For his foolishness he has been punished and he must endure it as the gods see fit. He had access to a power that could have stood against the Ice-jins, but not even that was enough to redeem him in our eyes or the eyes of the gods. Nor was his sacrifice against Frieza enough for redemption."

Zether nodded silently and lowered his gaze. Tettuce truly _was _gone. He sighed and shook his head slowly.

"Now as for the one you must protect from Falmer…she is a Saiyan and her name is Amotto."

Zether's eyes lifted and regarded Vvalania in confusion. "You mean the woman that Frieza blew apart? She survived?"

"Yes. And I have explained all that I must. Time is running short. Your Cruise Rocket was destroyed in the battle, but one of the Ginyu pods is available as one of their number fell in battle. You must leave immediately."

Zether narrowed his eyes and glanced around. "That's nice and all, but where is it?"

Vvalania's form began to shimmer as she lifted one arm to point north. "It is that way. Now go, Zether Zetra. There is much to do, and very little time in which to do it." Her body suddenly broke apart and shrank back into the pool without causing so much as a ripple. The indigo glow faded slowly and Zether turned his gaze to the north.

He grinned and was suddenly bathed in a golden aura. He turned north, prepared to blast away, when something suddenly occurred to him. He glanced at the pool and frowned. "If you can hear me, I have one more question: why are my hair and beard so much longer than normal?"

Laughter like the tingling of bells erupted from the pool. "We could not restore your body as it was before. In order to resurrect you, a change had to be made in order to allow your life to be granted to you. Nothing significant, merely a minor alteration because your previous body had already occupied space and time once. So we had to create a 'different' body for your soul to reside within. The same goes for Bardock. It is why his Saiyan hair is so unnaturally long. Now, no more questions, Zether. Go!"

He laughed and shot away, bathed in golden light and naked as the day he was born.

_**DBZ**_

_** Present day…**_

"Zarbon…"

The long-haired lackey stifled a sigh as he knelt before the diminutive tyrant. "Yes, Lord Frieza?"

"Has there been word from our mole, Blythe?" His tone denoted a hint of rage barely kept in check.

Zarbon closed his eyes and barely repressed a sigh. "No, Lord Frieza. There has been no word in two days."

"Two days…How long until we reach Celestine Prime?"

"We are less than a day out. 16 hours at the least. We should reach the space station ahead of the rouge Gylderians and Saiyans." Zarbon opened his eyes slowly, but kept his gaze to the floor. He did not want to see the murderous glare that seemed to have become permanently etched into Frieza's features.

Frieza snarled quietly, his fingers digging gouges into the arms of his throne. "Tell the pilot to get us there in 12, or else I will personally eject him into the vacuum of space!" His voice never rose, but the intensity with which he spoke was enough to drive Zarbon to his feet and send him rushing from Frieza's throne room.

The door closed behind him and he walked to the wall and leaned his forehead against it. He sighed…He didn't know what to do anymore. He could barely remember a time when he was once known as Prince Zarbon. It seemed a lifetime ago that he had offered himself up in exchange for keeping his planet safe. Frieza wanted to eradicate his people in order to sell his planet. Numerous warriors had been sent to cleanse the planet, but none had been able to defeat the Aotian Royal Warriors, of which he had been the leader. He remembered the rumors that had circulated about the Ginyu Force showing up to destroy his people, and his apprehension about that possible outcome.

Then Frieza himself had shown up with an ultimatum: turn over the strongest Aotian to serve under him and he would leave the planet alone; or resist and he would destroy the entire planet.

Zarbon had, without delay, turned himself over and he was instantly subjected to a multitude of horrors. He was tormented and tortured every single day for months. The pain went on for so long that he eventually lost track of time and lost all sense of self. Waking up every day in pain and going to sleep—no, being tortured into unconsciousness…well, it changed him. He eventually stopped thinking about his home and stopped trying to contact his family. He forgot who Prince Zarbon was and what he had once stood for…

And one day it all ended. The tormenting and tortures ended and he was suddenly, without knowing why, Frieza's right hand man. Wherever Frieza went, he was taken along. He was so numb to pain and torture that seeing Frieza treat anyone cruelly, or seeing him outright kill them did not faze him in the least. For years it went like that and then one day…he got the news that his planet had been struck by a comet and destroyed shortly after he had joined Frieza's ranks.

And it all had come to him then. He now understood why he had been treated so cruelly. Why he had been relentlessly tortured and then why he had been put at Frieza's side. It was twistedly cruel. It was Frieza through and through. Frieza forced him into servitude in exchange for keeping his people safe and then had tried to break his spirit. Tried to create a drone out of him and behind his back went ahead and destroyed his people and his home.

Well when Zarbon had learned of his planet's destruction by a "comet" something inside of him had stirred. The fire that had burned within his heart, the fire that he had thought had been extinguished, began to burn again. It had never really been extinguished; it had merely died down to a smoldering heap. But to learn that his people had been killed despite the agreement that had been set up…well, it had reignited the flame of pride in his heart and Prince Zarbon had been born again. Well, reborn in a new way. He was not one of Frieza's loyal warriors. But he learned to play the part very well.

That was decades ago. He had done everything he could to try and undermine Frieza, but as time drug on he learned just how powerful Frieza was, and how ill-prepared he was to fight against the tyrant. His fire burned bright and fierce for a long time. But the more he learned and the more he tried, to less his fire burned. Until it was just smoldering again.

Then Tettuce came into the picture and Zarbon's fire was reignited. At first he thought that the Saiyan was foolish for actively opposing Frieza and his subjugation of the Saiyan homeworld. But as time stretched on and Tettuce rose in the ranks of the Gylderian military, Zarbon began to hope again. And the hope had kindling to his fire and he began to remember who Prince Zarbon was. General Spark had been killed and Zarbon felt his hope falter a bit. But then Zether and Falmer had risen up and Zarbon began to see light at the end of the tunnel of despair.

Then in no time at all _Planet Vegeta_ had been destroyed and Tettuce, Zether, and Falmer, along with _Planet Gylder_, had been eradicated. His hope that had built up so many times before and had been dashed so many times, it had finally been completely wiped out. And he was lost. The only thing that had kept him going for so long had been the hope that one day he would see Frieza fall and his people would be avenged. He didn't know what kept him going now. He knew it wasn't self-preservation because he did not care if he lived or died. He was so tired of being Frieza's pet that there had been recent days where he would have liked nothing more than to just end it all.

Maybe what kept him going, though, was the fact that there were still Saiyans left alive. Every Saiyan Zarbon had ever met, aside from Tettuce, had all been weaker than him. He didn't know why that fact could possibly be keeping him going…

But that was it! He straightened up from the wall and turned to look at the closed door with wide eyes. Frieza wanted the Saiyans dead and he was going after them himself. And now he knew, thanks to Blythe, that Turpin was still alive. He hadn't given much thought to that name, but it made so much sense! Turpin was supposedly even stronger than Tettuce had ever been, but he had been believed to have been dead for decades now. Killed by Major Ginyu almost thirty years ago.

But why did Frieza want them dead so badly? Was it because of that absurd legend? Was it because of the supposed Legendary Super Saiyan? It was possible. Even the Aotians were able to transform into stronger, albeit ugly, forms. And there had been rumors circulating for years that the Ice-jins were capable of transforming, which had been confirmed before Zarbon's very eyes back on Jynn-jin 13. Maybe the Saiyans were capable of achieving legendary power. Tettuce had proven to be far stronger than Ginyu had been, and he was the strongest member of Frieza's army. What if it _was_ possible for a Saiyan to achieve power that could rival an Ice-jin's? What if that was why Frieza wanted to reach Celestine Prime so quickly? Maybe he had gotten wind that Turpin had achieved that power? Which meant…which meant that there was possibly hope to still be had.

He glanced down the corridor towards the bridge and frowned. What could he do, though? How could he help Turpin and the others? What exactly could he do from his position that would benefit the Saiyans and Gylderians?

A slow smile crept onto his features and he glanced at the closed door. No underling had the guts to speak to Frieza, even if they were trying to defend themselves. Even he and Dodoria kept their mouths shut, as well as all the members of the Ginyu Force. If he neglected to relay the message but told Frieza that he _had_, the pilot would most definitely die for disobeying orders even though he had not actually received them. But when confronted with Frieza's wrath, if he even tried to defend himself, he would only stutter and Frieza would blast him into oblivion. But they would be delayed in reached Celestine Prime. Maybe it would buy the Saiyans and Gylderians enough time to reach Turpin and get away before Frieza arrived. Zarbon would of course suffer some of the consequences of his actions, but so long as he maintained that he had, in fact, given the order to the pilot then he should be alright.

He stared towards the bridge as he made up his mind and then turned around and went to his quarters. It wasn't much, but hopefully it would be enough.

_**DBZ**_

Berik stood with folded arms before Amotto's tank admiring his own handiwork with satisfaction. The Saiyan woman would have to live with horrific scars on her arms, legs, and torso, but she would be whole once more. He did fervently wish that he had been able to do away with the scars, but the fact that he had even been able to reattach her damaged limbs was a miracle in itself. It was something that he had never done before, but he had succeeded and Amotto would have full use of her arms and legs. The only thing that would show she had ever been injured was her scars.

He smiled and sighed as he glanced at Falmer's tank. The man had not shown any signs of awakening any time soon. It was beginning to concern him. Especially since he had begun to monitor the Gylderian male's brain wave patterns and he had noticed that they were highly erratic. Granted he knew very little of the physiology or psychology of Gylderians, but even to Diamond they weren't normal. And what concerned him even more was the fact that he had no idea what to do about it. He had absolutely no kinds of medications aboard his ship. The ship was moving through hyperspace towards a space station where he would be able to obtain some, but they were still several days out.

It had taken Broco a couple of days to repair one of the hyperdrive engines, because he had had to rig something up considering he had not had the necessary parts of equipment to work with. The rest of the engines had been fine, but certain parts had burned out when they tried to activate them after they'd been jumped off. As a result Berik was certain that they were now behind Frieza's ship and that the tyrant would most likely destroy Celestine Prime. They maintained their course out of pure optimism and having a lack of any other choices.

But Berik was worried that whatever was wrong with Falmer would escalate long before they were able to reach any hospitable planet or space station. But what, exactly, _was_ wrong with the Gylderian? That was what puzzled the Jynn-jin scientist the most.

He stared at the man, watching the Gylderian's eyes and corners of his mouth twitch spastically. And he felt helpless. What if the man was dying? To be brought back from beyond the brink only to die while they all watched helplessly?

After a moment Berik sighed and turned away. Broco and Diamond were sitting at the helm of the ship and he shook his head. Their backs were to him so they did not see his reaction. Nor did they see Falmer's eyes suddenly shoot open…and suddenly turn completely black. They did, however, see the bright flash of light that suddenly erupted from behind them and felt the concussive force that sent all three of them flying forward.

And they heard the screeching tearing of metal as the ship's hull was blown apart and chaos was all any of them knew…

_**DBZ**_


	22. Your Betrayal (Part II)

_**(Individual Lies here with a special message to Wakash1: Thank you, but I was already aware that **_Seripa_**, had died during the Bardock movie. That is partly why I wrote this story, which is a fan fiction that takes place in an Alternate Universe, detailing a what-if scenario had Seripa and Bardock survived. And yes, I have seen the movie where Bardock kills Chilled, but it came out many months AFTER I started writing this story. As I am not one to throw in the towel after beginning a story simply because of a wrench or two thrown into the cogs, I have decided to soldier on and tell the story that I set out to tell. Thank you once again.)**_

_**Chapter Twenty Two: Your Betrayal (Part II)  
**__"You were told to to run away  
soak the place and light the flame  
Pay the price for your betrayal  
Your betrayal, Your Betrayal!  
I was told to stay away  
Those two words I can't obey  
Pay the price for your betrayal  
Your betrayal, Your Betrayal!"  
__**Your Betrayal-Bullet For My Valentine**_

_**DBZ**_

__Broco groaned and shifted slightly as his eye opened and he found himself staring at a dust brown sky. He blinked in surprise (mostly because he was alive) and tried to sit up. He immediately clutched his sides and fell over, his eye wide open in pain. Broken ribs? No. At worst fractured maybe, but most likely bruised. He groaned and struggled to his feet, staggering a bit as his head spun wildly. As the spinning began to slow, and his vision cleared, he looked around slowly. Terror gripped him in the pit of his stomach as he took in the wreckage that remained of Berik's ship. Jagged hunks of metal lie scattered all around him for dozens of yards. The front portion of the ship, the bridge, was buried in the dirt and was burning.

He turned and found a section of the rear portion lying split open, debris burning on the ground around it. The terror in his stomach turned to a sickening feeling as he took an involuntary step towards it.

"Amotto…" He paused and looked around again at the debris of the ship lying scattered all around him in the black sand of what appeared to a gods-forsaken barren planet. He sank to his knees and his body slumped forward, his head hanging as he stared blank-eyed at the ground. Was he the only survivor…? Where was everyone else…? What the hell had happened?

"Broco!"

His head jerked up and he stood quickly, looking into the sky to see Diamond dropping down towards him, Berik's arm slung around her shoulder and his head drooped forward in unconsciousness.

He breathed a sigh of relief as she touched down before him and gently lay Berik down at their feet. She straightened up, rubbing her arm across her face as she took several deep breaths.

"Oxygen is thin up there. It's breathable here, though. Barely," she said grimly as she looked around at the wreckage.

"Where were the two of you?" Broco asked as he, too, looked at the wreckage again.

"I woke up about three miles back. There's debris stretching even further than that," she murmured. "I followed it and found Berik about two miles back, unconscious. He's not hurt, though. I don't think." She frowned and glanced at Broco. "Have you seen Falmer or Amotto?"

He shook his head slowly. "I only just woke up. I haven't had a chance to search for them. What the hell happened up there, though?"

Diamond shrugged. "I have no idea." She bit her bottom lip and glanced toward the wreckage. "Mind watching over Berik? I'm going to go check around for Falmer." She looked back at him. "And Amotto." She hurried towards the demolished ship before Broco could say anything.

He frowned after her and looked down at Berik at his feet. The Jynn-jin scientist was soot-covered and the left lens of his glasses was cracked, but he appeared to be unharmed. In fact it was amazing that the three of them had survived. Luck? He didn't honestly know. Just like he didn't know what had happened in space. One moment he's checking their ETA to Celestine Prime, and the next everything was chaotic.

He closed his eye and he thought back to those last few seconds. He had seen a bright flash of light and then Berik was slamming into the console between him and Diamond. And then…utter chaos. The ship had been split in two; he could remember that detail because he turned and saw the walls split. And he saw…

His eye shot open and he looked towards the wreckage. "DIAMOND!"

The Gylderian woman paused as she was about to step in the rear half of the ship and looked over her shoulder at him, startled by his sudden cry. "What is it?"

He started towards her, but suddenly stopped, his eye going wide. He lifted his hand and pointed behind her. "_That!_"

She frowned and turned around to find herself face to face with Falmer; Falmer with black hair, black eyes, and burnt-red skin. She gasped and took a step back as the man gave her a feral snarl.

"Shit!" Broco sprinted forward as Falmer raised a hand, ready to backhand Diamond. But he looked up at Broco and vanished; an instant later, the Saiyan man's head was snapping violently to the side, his body following less than a second later, and he slammed face first into the ground, sliding along the ground, plumes of sand flying into the air.

Before he had even come to a stop, Falmer was kicking him in his side and sending him sailing into the air. He was weightless for less than a second before he was hit again…and again…and again, again, again, again. He couldn't follow the Gylderian man's movement as he kept disappearing and reappearing and knocking him all around the sky. Each hit felt like a hammer blow, and there was nothing he could do to fight back. He was literally at the deranged man's mercy. And it didn't help that he was already injured from the crash.

"FALMER! Stop that!"

Broco suddenly slammed into Falmer's bare chest and the feral man caught his shoulders, squeezing hard enough to cause him a considerable degree of discomfort. Wincing, he looked down at Diamond as she stared wide-eyed up at them. He glanced over his shoulder and into the black pools that were Falmer's eyes as the man stared down at Diamond in confusion.

"Let him go!"

Falmer let go of Broco's shoulders and the Saiyan dropped like a stone to the ground. He landed on his back and let out an involuntary cry as the hit jarred every inch of his aching body. Diamond was standing over him in an instant, her eyes locked on the unmoving form of her husband hovering several dozen feet above them.

Broco gasped as he sat up, wincing as his bones and joints screamed in protest. He stood up shakily and glanced at her. "What's going on? What happened to him?"

"The Beast. Falmer has become The Beast. I always thought it was nothing but a story, but The Beast exists!" She shook her head in disbelief, her eyes never leaving the still-frozen form of Falmer.

"What's 'The Beast?'" Broco asked with a frown.

"It's…well, _that_!" she said as she nodded at Falmer. "The stories always told of The Beast being a deranged Gylderian that lost all sense of self and became a murdering machine. It's all primal instinct and wants nothing more than to cause pain, destruction, and death. But I was always told that it was just a story to keep our people on the straight and narrow! But it exists and it's my husband!" She shook her head and closed her eyes. "My husband…is The Beast."

Broco looked up at Falmer and swallowed. "This isn't good. How do we fight against something like that?"

Diamond sniffed and shook her head grimly as she opened her eyes. "We don't." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Your power increases several times over when you become an Oozaru, right?" When Broco nodded she continued. "When a Gylderian becomes…_this _thing, his or her power can increase by up to 20 times their base power, according to the stories. Unless we can get through to him and maybe get him to return to normal, Falmer will…" she trailed off and looked away from her husband. "He'll kill us," she finished in a weak voice.

Broco sighed and lowered his head, closing his eye as he did. "And you don't think we'll be able to reach him, do you?" He opened his eye and looked at her.

Diamond looked over at him slowly. "I know my husband. But the stories…his mind is gone. In this state he is not Falmer anymore. Falmer is…gone."

Broco sighed and looked up at the still motionless Gylderian. Falmer was frowning down at Diamond, but the confusion that had been in place was gone. "Then you should be, too. I'll…well, I'm not sure what I'll be able to do. I know I can't beat him," he said with a bitter laugh, his gaze never leaving Falmer. "But I'll give it my best shot."

"No. I won't leave you to him," Diamond said, and then exhaled a shaky breath. "I'll fight him, t—"

Falmer vanished and everything seemed to slow down as he reappeared instantaneously and slammed his fist into Broco's cheek. The Saiyan's feet lifted from the ground as the punch drove him backwards. The pain of the impact had not even registered before the Gylderian was driving his other fist into Broco's other cheek, snapping his head around violently. Still no pain had registered. By this time Broco had been driven back only about fifteen feet.

What had just happened? Just how powerful was this monster? Broco could only think at this point as Falmer flipped backwards, driving his foot into Broco's back and sending him flying into the sky.

Now he was feeling pain. And he was feeling his lungs begin to burn. Diamond hadn't been kidding when she said the oxygen was thin. He hadn't even been sent up two hundred feet yet and he was already having difficulty breathing. Not that it mattered much, anyway. He was out of control and Falmer had all the advantages.

The Gylderian in question appeared above him and time slowed again as he drew his fist back. Broco closed his eye and sighed as the fist began to fly forward. What a way to go…

The ground exploded beneath his back, debris flying up and out in all directions from the extreme force of his impact. As chunks of rock and bits of metal rained down around him, Broco lay motionless at the bottom of the crater with his armor almost completely obliterated and his underarmor torn and stained with his blood. His single eye stared semi-sightlessly up at the feral beast that was Falmer grinning down at him with evil pleasure. Fight him? Fight that monster? What in the gods' names had he been thinking? There was no way he could have done any good against that thing.

Falmer began to descend and Broco let out a wheezy breath, flecks of blood spattering back onto his face. He let his eye close completely and he willed his mind to descend into darkness. He cringed involuntarily when he heard the Gylderian's feet touch the ground just to his left. How much longer was he going to torture him? Hadn't he dealt him enough damage?

Falmer knelt and closed his hand tight around Broco's neck. He straightened up, lifting the Saiyan from the crater as he hovered back into the air. He grinned at the seemingly unconscious Saiyan and tightened his grip; Broco's eye shot open and he let out an airless gasp of pain. Weakly, and feebly, he gripped at Falmer's hand around his throat. He knew there was nothing he could do, but his survival instinct was kicking in and he couldn't fight against it.

It seemed he had reached the end of his rope. At the hands of an ally, too.

"_Hey!"_

Falmer frowned and looked around until he saw a thin, shadowy form standing just behind a plume of smoke issuing from the rear portion of the wrecked ship. The form seemed to be adjusting something at its torso as it stepped forward and through the smokescreen…

It was a Saiyan female with dark green hair and a horizontal scar that ran beneath both eyes and across the bridge of her nose. As she continued walking towards the two of them she finished adjusting the cracked armor she had hastily thrown on. She was lacking in underarmor on her torso so the freshly healed scars on her arms, just above her elbows, were plainly visible. The scars on her thighs were hidden by the underarmor she did wear on her legs. The scar that had divided her torso was plainly visible as it stretched almost to her collarbone.

"I'll say it once: Put. Him. _Down,_" Amotto threatened.

_**DBZ**_

__The doors of the airlock slid open and Bardock looked sideways at his mate. They were both clothed in traditional Saiyan battle armor. His was his trademark colors of green and black, although he had a single guard stretching over his right shoulder and none covering his thighs. It wasn't his favorite style, but it was all that had been aboard the ship in his favorite colors.

Seripa, on the other hand, had managed to get her favorite style armor with a single shoulder strap in her favorite colors. Her underarmor, however, was blue instead of her usual pink. Bardock would have laughed at her, but he was stuck with maroon for his underarmor. And besides, ever since she had had her talk with Leta, she had been uncharacteristically quiet. Sure she still spoke to him, but her usual attitude was subdued. He wasn't sure if it was because of the talk with Leta or if it was because Peppa had tracked down Frieza's ship and discovered that it was only a few hours behind them. Or if it was even because they were about to meet with the legendary Turpin, Tettuce's very own mentor, in person.

Bardock just had no idea.

Either way, they had finally reached Celestine Prime and were mere moments from meeting the man. The two princesses had decided to radio ahead and let him know that they would be arriving shortly. Turpin had agreed to meet with them as soon as they docked. So Bardock and Seripa had been prepared to meet with an old Saiyan.

What they didn't expect to see, as the airlock doors slid open, was Seripa and Leta's mother, Seluri, standing beside the old, scar-faced Saiyan. Bardock merely quirked a brow, but Seripa let out an audible gasp and took a step back in shock.

Seluri rolled her eyes and cast her daughter a stern glare as she flicked a fold of her dark purple cloak over her shoulder. "You believed I was dead, right? Well there are a few things you need to know now that the whole universe has gone crazy."

"Tha' go's wit'out sayin'," Turpin said with a chuckle. "Firs' thin's firs', though. Whar's Tettuce?" The older Saiyan leaned sideways to look past Bardock and Seripa, almost eagerly it seemed.

Bardock sighed and glanced at Seripa as she looked down. But she was the one who answered.

"Dead. Frieza killed him on Jynn-jin 13."

Turpin's eye widened and his mouth fell open behind his massive gray beard. He stared in shock for a moment before closing his mouth and narrowing his eye slightly. "Ah see. Ah shou'da know'd." He sighed and shook his head slowly. "Tettuce, m'boy. Di' he a' leas' go ou' figh'in'?"

Bardock nodded his head once. "To the bitter end. Everyone aboard this ship, including the traitorous trash in the infirmary, is alive because of him."

"Hm. Well. Leas' he fin'lly di' somethin' righ'." Turpin smiled proudly, albeit a little sadly. "So's, Ah hear's ol' thunda liz'rd is headin' dis way. Dat true?"

Seripa answered this time. "Unfortunately, yes. He is only a few hours behind us."

"Ah see. Goo' thin' we got's a ship prep'd nd' ready fer take-oft. Eh, Sel?" Turpin glanced sideways at his companion and grinned a toothy (as toothy as he could give, considering) grin at her.

Seluri rolled her eyes and folded her arms across the breast-plate of her black and gold armor. "It is amazing that I ever thought I missed you and Ka'bijj. Your speech is as atrocious as ever. And to make matters worse, Ka'bijj is not around anymore to balance out your annoying vulgarity."

"Ah, ye know's ye miss'd me." Turpin winked at her before letting out a bark of laughter that made her roll her eyes.

Bardock and Seripa, meanwhile, exchanged bewildered glances before looking back at the older Saiyans.

"Whatever. The only reason the ship is even prepped is because I just got here myself." She cast a quick glance at Turpin, a faint trace of a smile in her eyes, her stern expression barely hiding her amusement. She looked to the other two then. "Turpin just barely filled me in on everything that has been happening. And I must say that I am quite surprised to find you alive, Seripa. The whole reason I left Planet Vegeta was to take care of Dodoria myself." She turned her gaze to Bardock and offered a slight smirk. "I was in the Mess Hall when you were trying to convince those lowlifes that Frieza was on his way. The only thing that I do not know is where you all have been for the last year. I was convinced that you were dead and that Seripa was, too."

Seripa frowned. "Why did you even care? You've never cared about anything regarding me before. Why start now?"

Seluri's smirk vanished and she cut her eyes sharply at her daughter. She was silent for a moment as she regarded the young woman who was just a hair shorter than her. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she sighed. "You have every right to be upset, I suppose. I was never really there for you, was I?" She sighed again and shook her head as she ran a hand over her face. "It is entirely my fault and I do not blame you for your anger. I could have and should have been there for you, guiding you and training you to be your very best. But ever since the day you were born…" she trailed off and looked at Seripa with an unreadable expression.

"What?" Seripa demanded.

Seluri smiled sadly, her stern expression softening dramatically. "I never told you this, but you were not my first daughter. Many years before you were born, I gave birth—"

"To another daughter." Seluri looked up and behind Seripa and Bardock. They both turned as Leta stepped from around the inner door of the airlock. She was glaring daggers at her mother. "To _me._"

Seluri's eyes widened and she looked from Leta to Seripa and then back to Leta. She took a step forward, moving between Seripa and Bardock absently. But Leta held her hand up to stop her.

"Finish what you were saying. What does my birth have to do with you treating Seripa the way you did?"

Seluri, never taking her eyes off of Leta, spoke slowly. "When she was born, she looked just like you. It hurt me…to see her every day. I never knew what happened to you. I believed you dead all this time. It pained me to see her every day and I did not want to endure that pain. Leta…" she stepped forward, but the younger woman held her hand up again.

"No. That does not excuse your actions. You were once a Cleric of the Old World. You could have trained Seripa in the ancient arts and you could have killed King Vegeta with little effort. If you had not abandoned Ka'bijj and Turpin, the three of you could have started a resistance movement decades ago. Ka'bijj may have lived; Planet Vegeta may never have been destroyed; Planet Gylder may never have been destroyed. You are partly to blame for everything that has happened since you left the other two remaining Clerics behind." Leta took a breath and looked away from Seluri. "There is so much that I have wanted to say to you. But now that you are here before me…All I want to do is strike you."

She looked up at her mother with a sudden slight smirk. "But given how powerful you really are, what good would that do me?"

Turpin quirked his unscarred brow as he stared at Leta. He looked at Seripa and then at Seluri. "Gah. Don' we'r ident'c'l clo'hes. Ah'd neva tell ya's 'part." He grinned as all three women glared at him. "Wha'? Jus' bein' hones'." He laughed and glanced at Bardock. "Yer B'rdock, righ'? Tettuce's 'ppr'ntice?"

Bardock frowned but nodded. "Former apprentice, anyway."

Seluri glowered at Turpin. "Shut up, will you? I need to speak with my daughter. Daughters," she said as she turned back around. "I must speak with the both of you."

Leta shook her head. "You can speak with Seripa. She is, after all, accompanying you and Turpin. I am not. I have a duty to my people to ensure their survival."

Seluri took a step forward, but stopped. She stared at Leta longingly. "Will you not come with us? I would love to have a chance to get to know you."

Leta shook her head, never taking her eyes off of her mother. "I cannot. Surah and I are taking this band of survivors, Saiyan and Gylderian alike, to a planet called…Earth. It is in a section of the universe that is largely unexplored. There is an advanced race that resides there, but Frieza and his family know nothing of its existence. Our hope is to rebuild our races there."

Seripa turned to Leta in surprise. "Earth? Why Earth?"

She smiled in return. "For the simple reason that Frieza does not know about it. Plus, Aurah…she fell in love with the planet when she tracked young Kakarrot there. And it is a very lovely planet. It also seems rather peaceful. It will be a good place to rebuild our races."

"Will you find Kakarrot?" asked Bardock as he glanced around at her. "Find him and take care of him for us, until we can join you?" He looked down at Seripa as she looked up at him in surprise. "It would be a great place to live in peace after we take Frieza and his family's regime down."

She smiled slightly and touched his arm. "Yes, it would. Maybe even have an actual family there."

Seluri looked between the two of them sharply. "Wait a minute. Are you two mated?"

Seripa and Bardock looked at her. "Yeah, what of it?" Seripa asked.

"He was your Captain and mentor. And you two are _mated?_" She shook her head in what appeared to be wonder. "How did you manage that?"

Bardock was the one to answer. He shrugged and said, "It just happened. I admired her for her resilience and her advanced ki control. But my admiration eventually grew to somethin' else as she grew stronger." He smiled and shrugged again. "I never planned on it, but I'm glad it happened." He looked down at Seripa with a smirk. "Especially now. My mate took on Frieza and even defeated a member of the Ginyu Force. I couldn't be prouder."

Seluri nodded and smiled, but it faded when she saw the dark look on Leta's face. "What is it, Leta?"

She looked up sharply and frowned, clenching her teeth together. "None of your business!" She turned to return to the ship, but paused and turned to Seripa. "Please stay safe and I will find Kakarrot and take care of him until the two of you return. Good luck and get strong." She smiled and seemed to want to embrace her sister, but she turned away and hurried into the ship.

Seripa stared after her with wide eyes. But she frowned and sighed, glancing at Seluri. "Tettuce was her mate. Hers and Surah's." At the look of appalled confusion that came across her mother's face, she quickly recounted what she knew of Aurah, Leta, and Surah.

When she was done, Seluri just stared at her. "Gods…such a thing is possible?"

"Ye shoul' git ou' mor' of'en, Sel. Nste'd o' hidin' ou' on a junker o' a plan't." He laughed and turned to walk down the corridor they were standing in. "We shoul' be goin'. Thunda liz'rd ain't fa' b'hin'."

"What about me?"

Everyone turned to see Turles standing in the airlock with his arms folded across his chest. "Don't I get to go, too?"

Turpin arched his scarred eyebrow and glanced from Turles to Bardock. "Fam'ly m'mba?"

Bardock frowned. "Brother. Turles, you ain't comin' with us."

"We need you to protect Leta, Surah and the others," said Seripa. "Especially with Blythe to worry about in the brig. You're the only one left strong enough to do that."

Turles scoffed. "Don't patronize me. I know what y'all are goin' to do. You all are goin' to train and get stronger to take on Frieza. I ain't stupid and I want to get stronger, too. So I'm comin'."

Bardock narrowed his eyes and glared at his younger brother. "Ain't happenin', Turles. You're stayin' with the others so you can protect them. We're not patronizin' you. Someone needs to stay and take care of them and you're the last option."

"'Sides, Kid, ya wou'dn' b' able t' han'le da gravity whar we's goin'," said Turpin.

Turles narrowed his eyes and cut them towards the older Saiyan. "Where are you all goin' then?"

Turpin grinned. "Da last o' da tra'nin' gr'nds. N't all o' dem was d'stroyed. Der's st'll one lef'. Jus' da one, though."

"And the gravity there is intense, then?"

"Sixty times Standard," said Seluri with a glance towards Turpin. "It was not the most intense of our training grounds, but it will suffice for what Tuprin has planned."

"And the plan is?" asked Turles.

"You're not goin', Turles," growled Bardock. "Don't make me knock your ass out."

Turpin chuckled. "Da pl'n is s'mple. Deez two'r gonna tra'n t' beat Frieza," he said, jerking his thumb towards Seripa and Bardock. He blinked his eye and frowned as he regarded Bardock. "Wha's it?"

Bardock was staring off into space, his eyes narrowed into slits. "I…sense something powerful. It don't feel close, but it is _strong._"

Seluri quirked an eyebrow and stared incredulously at Bardock. "You sense power readings?"

"S'a e'sy 'nuff skill, Sel," Turpin said as he turned his gaze in the direction Bardock was staring. "Ah. Yeh, p'werf'l fer sure. Feels…Gyl-der-i-an."

"Feels like…Falmer…" said Bardock with a frown. "And it's pretty far away, too. But it couldn' be Falmer. There's no way he's that strong."

"Ah wo'ldn' b' so sure, Bardock." Turpin frowned and glanced at the shaggy-headed Saiyan. "Der's a l'gend o' a pow'rful ch'nge dat a Gyl-der-i-an c'n go t'rough. Makes 'em s'per str'ng. T'ink 'bout dis: Su-per Sai-yans 're s'posed t' be n'thin more'n l'gends, righ'? Well, dat l'gend ain't no l'gend a'tall. So's i's p'ss'ble dat Gyl-der-i-an l'gend ain't no l'gend eit'er, righ'?"

Bardock frowned as he regarded the older Saiyan. He had to admit that it was rather difficult to understand the man's accent, so a lot of what he heard was garbled. But he got the gist of it. He considered the possibilities and looked back in the direction of the power. "So Falmer transformed into some sort of Super Gylderian, then?"

"Nah. Dat one 'as mos' lik'ly b'come Da Beast." He turned to Seluri. "Da ship's ready, eh?"

"Yes. It has been ready. Do you want to go investigate?"

He grinned and nodded. "O' course."

_**DBZ**_

Falmer glared at Amotto.

Amotto glared at Falmer.

Broco feebly clutched at the hand still closed around his neck, his face beginning to turn purple.

Diamond looked frantically between Amotto and Falmer, not sure what to do. Her husband had become a murderous beast and it was highly likely that he would kill them all in his out-of-control state. But what could she do?

"So that's how you wanna be?" Amotto said loudly. "_Fine!_"

Diamond jerked her attention to Amotto as the woman suddenly lunged forward; dust and debris kicked up behind her and in the blink of an eye her fist was imbedded in Falmer's face. The force of the hit produced a shockwave that knocked the Gylderian woman from her feet and sent Broco flying from Falmer's grasp. Falmer, meanwhile, was sent flying backwards.

"I warned you!" cried Amotto as she gave chase, driving her fist deep into The Beast's bare stomach. "I warned you!" she cried again as she shot around in a flash and kicked him in his back, sending him rolling and tumbling across the ground.

Broco landed on his back with a gasp and he immediately started coughing.

Diamond jerked her attention to the bald man and then looked around as shockwaves continuously erupted all around them. Were Falmer and Amotto fighting? She had completely missed the exchange between them, being that the fighting was beyond her own level.

Wait…was that Amotto? Was that _really_ Amotto? Diamond focused her senses on the woman and gave an audible gasp as she felt the familiar power of the Saiyan woman. It _was _her! But how…? The woman hadn't even possessed a tenth of this power before she was almost killed. But now, barely healed from her near-death experience and she was fighting The Beast with power far greater than she should have now. It should have been impossible!

Amotto drove her elbow into Falmer's face and brought her other fist around to drive into his stomach. She pummeled him rapidly and repeatedly, refusing to relinquish the upper hand or allow for any openings. She struck him across his face, spun around and kicked him in his kidneys, then brought both hands up and jackhammered him into the ground. Chunks of rock and plumes of sand flew out from the point of impact.

And still she didn't let up as her blue aura ignited and she dropped down, driving both knees into his chest with enough force to crack the ground beneath Falmer's back and deepened the crater that had already been created. She jumped up, flipping backs to land nimbly on her feet, and she shot forward like lightning as Falmer climbed back to his feet. He looked in her direction and her fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head around violently. Her fist came around and struck him in the other side of his face, snapping his head around the other way. Back and forth, over and over, she punched him with lightning-quick strikes, driving him backwards until they were moving up and out of the crater.

This much Diamond could see and she stared in open-mouthed awe as she watched Amotto beat the tar out of Falmer. The Saiyan woman had grown immensely powerful, that much was certain. And she was proving it with every punch and every kick…

Amotto suddenly jumped back and dropped into an odd stance, her right leg out front as she crouched low and her left leg stretched out to the side. She held her arms up, one held parallel with her chest while the other was held out, opposite of her stretched out leg.

Falmer shook his head slowly and turned his cold, black-eyed gaze on the Saiyan. He looked at her expressionlessly, seeming to wait for her next move.

Amotto smirked and suddenly feinted forward, then flipped to the left, and springing forward as soon as her feet touched the ground to strike Falmer in his gut, doubling him over. She sprang back, then lunged forward and jumped up to drive both knees into his chin, at the same moment driving her elbows into the top of his head, causing him to stagger backwards holding his face.

Her feet hit the ground and she dropped back into the stance as she regarded the Gylderian.

"Well? You gonna fight back? Or am I too much for you?!" she demanded, her gaze cold as she regarded the black haired man.

Falmer dropped to his knees, keeping his hands over his face. He remained motionless for several moments with the Saiyan woman and Diamond staring at him. Broco managed to push himself into a sitting position and he, grimacing, stared in awe at the two fighters.

Amotto…she had grown so powerful. It was amazing!

But he couldn't help but notice that Falmer was showing no signs of damage from her relentless, all-out attacks.

And the Gylderian lowered his hands to reveal his feral grin as he looked at Amotto.

"Is that all you've got, _Saiyan_?" he said with a raspy, deep tone. The first words he'd spoken since he'd awakened.

Amotto's eyes went wide and she lowered her hands slowly. "Shit…"

_**DBZ**_

"The ship is gone, Sauza."

An alien with blonde hair and blue skin, wearing armor with a single guard over his left shoulder, over dark purple underarmor, turned his attention towards a massive dark green alien were similar armor over underarmor that only covered his legs. They were all standing on the darkened bridge of a cruiser.

He frowned as he asked, "What do you mean the ship is gone? Where did it go?"

"Dunno, Sauza. It just vanished."

"It looked like it exploded!" piped up an orange alien wearing identical armor and armor to Doore. "There was a bright flash and then it was gone."

Sauza looked at the orange alien. "Well you're the gunner, Naize. Did you shoot them down?"

The orange alien, Naize, widened his massive eyes and shook his head vigorously. "Of course not, Sauza! I was only watching them. I never fired, I swear!"

Doore glanced at the orange alien and shook his head with a sigh. "He didn't shoot them down, Sauza. But he's right that it did look like an explosion. But it happened so fast, and then the ship was gone. There is a nearby planet that they could have crash-landed on. Do you want to check it out?"

Sauza's frown deepened and he lifted a hand to stroke his chin. "Lord Coola wants us to follow them and find out where they are going…But if they're dead then that mission is over. We will investigate and if there are survivors, we will find out what we need to know and then finish them off." He suddenly flashed a sinister grin and folded his arms across his chest. "King Cold and Lord Coola want to eradicate the Saiyans, and I have no problem with obliging them there."

"What about those rumors of the Saiyan Tettuce taking down Ginyu, Sauza?" asked Naize.

Sauza laughed and looked over at the orange alien again. "That cream-puff? Yeah, Tettuce was strong, but the three of us out-class Ginyu by spades. And besides, Tettuce is dead. There are no Saiyans left with that kind of power. These Saiyans are toast."

_**DBZ**_


	23. Your Betrayal (Part III)

_**Chapter Twenty-Three: Your Betrayal (Part III)  
**Is it my turn to die?  
My heart is pounding as I say goodbye  
So now I dance in the flames  
I love you crying and screaming my name_

You said that we'd be forever  
How could you kill me and lie to my face?  
Now that we can't be together  
There's just no hope for our final embrace  
So here we are, I'm in your head  
I'm in your heart!  
**Your Betrayal-Bullet For My Valentine**

_**DBZ**_

A dark figure sat motionless in the seat of a tiny spherical spacepod. He was wearing a black cloak and a black hood that hid his face from view. A black and gray beard stretched down to his chest; the lights of his console glinted faintly off his eyes that stared unblinkingly from within the shadows of his hood.

Slow and deliberately he reached a hand out to touch a button on the console of the door.

"Hailing Frieza," he said softly, his voice barely more than a whisper. "This is The Priest answering his summons."

There was silence and then Frieza's cold voice responded, _"Priest, it is about time you responded. Where have you been?"_ he asked angrily.

The Priest chuckled quietly and without humor. "I have been busy. I understand that you require my assistance. What with?"

Frieza was quiet before he responded in even colder tones, _"I need you to find and eliminate someone for me. Or rather something: A Saiyan."_

The figure cocked his head slightly. "A Saiyan? Surely _you_ can handle a measly Saiyan, Frieza?" he said with no small amount of sarcasm.

_"That's 'Lord' Frieza, Priest. We have been over this!" _Frieza seethed.

"Yes, we have. And as I've said before, I refer to no one as 'Lord,' Frieza. I stand aloof from the pettiness of such things. You require my assistance, I will offer it. If Ryo requires my assistance, I will offer it. If he were still alive, that is." The Priest chuckled. "You have been busy, I hear. I go where there are credits to be made. Now, tell me about this Saiyan that you want eliminated. Is it the infamous Tettuce that has irked you for so long?"

Frieza growled. _"No, I killed Tettuce with my own hands. The Saiyan I want _you_ to eliminate is Tettuce's former mentor, Turpin."_

The Priest's hand twitched slightly and he leaned forward ever so slightly. "Turpin?" His voice remained a whisper, but there was a tone that suggested a hint of surprise. "Was he not killed by Ginyu over twenty years ago?" His sarcasm was back with that question.

_"Apparently not. Evidently he is much more powerful than he had originally let on."_

The Priest chuckled and folded his well-muscled arms across his chest. "Of course he is. Turpin is a Cleric, and they were never known for being weak."

_"So you say…Well? Will you do it?"_

The Priest was silent as he considered for a moment. Finally he shrugged. "Sure, why not? My price, however, will be higher than normal. Turpin will not be easy to take down."

_"…What is the price?" _Frieza ventured cautiously.

"50,000,000 Galactic Credits," The Priest responded in amusement.

_"50,000,000?!" _Frieza exclaimed. _"That is outrageous! When you said higher than normal I assumed it would be 1,000,000, but 50,000,000?! I will never pay that!"_

"Suit yourself. I do not kill for free, however. But I know you, Frieza," the man said with a hint of a smile in his voice. "You have no one in your employ that can track like I can. No one that will be able to find Cleric Turpin. You will consider this and then several days from now, maybe even tomorrow, you will seek to contact me again and agree to pay the price. But by then the price will have gone up to 100,000,000 Galactic Credits, due to the fact that Turpin's trail will have started to grow cold, thereby increasing the level of difficulty involved in finding and killing him. Do you want him eliminated?"

Frieza was silent, but The Priest could hear the tyrant's teeth grinding together in agitation. Which brought a grin, albeit hidden, to the Priest's face.

_"Fine! 50,000,000 Galactic Credits will be transferred into your account. And I swear to you, Priest, if you and I ever cross paths I will kill you as slowly and as painfully as possible."_

"If you and I ever cross paths, Frieza, I will be the one doing the killing. I know your power and you do not know mine. But I can assure you that it is far higher than yours."

_"If you say so," _Frieza responded, a smirk evident in his tone.

The Priest chuckled. "We'll see. Where was Turpin last?"

_"Space Station Celestine Prime, which no longer exists. I have just finished destroying it, after finding out that Turpin and three other Saiyans had just left."_

"Three other Saiyans, hm? How about them?"

_"If you wish. They are not important to me. Turpin is the only one I want eliminated."_

"So be it. Turpin will be dealt with, and if the others get in my way, I will destroy them. As always, payment is to be made in advance." He killed the connection before Frieza could respond.

Slowly and as deliberately as before, he lifted his hands to pull his hood from his head. Cold, dark green eyes glinted in the light cast from his console as he stared out of the black tinted window of his pod. A Mohawk of black and gray hair spilled down the back of his head, disappearing into the folds of his cloak. He grinned from behind his black and gray beard, wrinkles around his eyes becoming more defined.

"So, Turpin…you still live after all…The last true Cleric left in the entire universe…I suppose a reunion is long overdue…"

_**DBZ**_

Amotto danced backwards, her arms nothing more than blurs as she struggled to block Falmer's rapid blows. The Gylderian advanced on her, his fists flashing forward in lightning-quick attacks keeping the Saiyan woman on the defensive. Amotto could do nothing except dodge and block, and that was getting harder and harder as Falmer's attacks steadily gained in speed and power. Each blow that she blocked jarred her arms painfully. She knew eventually that he would deliver an attack that she wouldn't be able to block.

Falmer's fist suddenly stopped a few inches from her raised arm and she looked at him in surprise. His other fist flashed around and caught Amotto in her jaw, sending her flying backwards. He appeared behind her and delivered a twisting kick to her back, which sent her crashing face first into the ground.

She pushed herself up and launched herself into the air just as Falmer's foot crashed into the spot she'd just been occupying. She thrust her hand down at him and fired a green ball of ki at him, which he slapped away with a feral grin. She grimaced and brought both hands above her head, charging up a more powerful attack.

Falmer lunged up at her and she brought her ki-charged hands down and fired a massive blast of green ki at him; it engulfed him and exploded, cratering the ground beneath him and sending chunks of rock and bits of ship debris flying into the sky.

Amotto desperately sucked in air as sweat poured down her face. The thin oxygen away from the ground made such attacks ten times more draining than normal. Dust and smoke shrouded the area as she descended to the ground. She looked around quickly as she caught her breath, but could see no sign of Falmer anywhere. She wasn't stupid, though; he was still alive.

"Right here," hissed a raspy voice from just over her shoulder.

She spun around to slam her fist into his face, only to have it caught effortlessly. She stared wide-eyed at Falmer's black eyes just inches from her own face.

"Is that it, Saiyan? I can feel much more power than this from you. Where is it? Why not use it? I want a _real _fight. So show me your true power. End this charade and fight me!"

Amotto narrowed her eyes and blue sparks danced around her body. A slow smile crept across her lips. "My true power? You could tell I was holding back, eh?" Her hair began to shift in an unseen wind as she gathered her ki. Slow-burning blue flames appeared around her body. "I'll show you what I've got, then!" The flames exploded out and raged around her body as her energy sky-rocketed, the force of her power sending Falmer skidding backwards in the sand, and blowing the dust and smoke away.

"I'll show you true Saiyan power, Gylderian! Ready or not: HERE I COME!" she vanished and then reappeared and slammed her fist into the side of his face.

Falmer's eyes were wide and devoid of anything except shock as he reeled from the strike.

Her other fist drove deep into The Beast's stomach before he could recover and the onslaught was on. She dove on him, punching and kicking relentlessly, leaving him no opportunities to strike back or defend.

Amotto was surprised by the strength she now possessed. Sure, Saiyans grew stronger after each near-death experience but this was beyond anything she could have ever expected. It flooded her senses and gave her a feeling of being high. It was raw power that she felt flooding her body and she loved every second of it. She loved the feeling of absolute strength. Especially after Frieza had so easily killed—no, almost killed her. She had survived and now, with this power she now possessed, she would make him pay!

Falmer suddenly caught her flying kick and her eyes went wide as his black eyes opened and leveled on her. "That's more like it. But is that all you've got?" He laughed coldly and shook his head. "I'm disappointed, Saiyan. I expected more."

"Expect this!" she cried as her other hand came forward and she blasted him point blank in the face. The resulting explosion sent her tumbling backwards, but she quickly recovered, putting her feet beneath her and skidding backwards in the sand as she brought her hands up in a defensive posture.

The dust that had been kicked up from the blast was suddenly swept away, revealing Falmer standing in a sizzling crater. He had his arms folded over his bare, burnt-red chest and he was smirking. She narrowed her eyes at him and ground her teeth together. This was absurd! Just how strong was this asshole?!

"What the hell are you?!" she screamed at him in agitation. "You're starting to piss me off!"

"I am power in physical form. I am evil incarnate. I am the living embodiment of fear and death. I am your end, Saiyan. I am…" He chuckled and unfolded his arms, clenching his fists at his sides. "The Beast…"

Amotto quirked an eyebrow and frowned at him. "The Beast? Weird."

Falmer's grin vanished and he frowned, narrowing his eyes. "I would take your situation a bit more serious than that."

"Sure thing. Either way, 'The Beast' is a weird name."

Falmer's upper lip curled back and he snarled. "I am The Beast because I AM a beast! I am a monster that will tear your body to pieces!"

She shrugged and stood up straight. "Whatever you say." She had found a way to get under his skin and she was going to make the best of it that she could. If making fun of him could break his focus and make him make a mistake, then she was going to exploit it any way that she could.

He growled in response and crouched low into a stance. "I say that you are dead!" He lunged towards her.

She was ready, though. She dove to her left, her hands hitting the ground as her body twisted around and she sprang back onto her feet facing him just as he slid to a stop and spun towards her. She lunged forward and drove her fist into the side of his face, snapping his head around violently. Her other fist came forward, but immediately stopped an inch from his face; she opened her hand and blasted him point blank again, the explosion sending him flying backwards and sending her sailing into the air.

She flipped end over end, but quickly regained control and dove back at him as he was skidding along the ground on his back. Her aura burst to life in an explosion of blue and she focused her ki into her legs as she swung them around, and drove her feet into Falmer's stomach; the ground beneath his back exploded and the hit carried him forward, digging a tremendous trench from the forceful hit.

She jumped back as his momentum carried him onwards, digging an even longer trench. She landed on bended knee, breathing heavily as she watched him finally come to a stop at the end of a quarter-mile long crevasse. She allowed herself a slight smirk as she watched him lift a hand to the side of his head as he sat up. She knew that it wasn't much, but she must have caused him some damage. Even if it was just enough to piss him off.

Falmer stood up and leveled his dark gaze on her, murder radiating from his taut frame.

"You'll pay for that, Saiyan!" he spat venomously.

"Probably so," Amotto crowed. "But the look on your face makes it all worth it."

The Beast's left eye twitched and he launched himself at her full speed, the ground splitting open beneath him as he shot forward.

_**DBZ**_

Seripa's eyes were closed. She focused her ki outward as Bardock had told her to do. She felt for surges of ki against her own from outside sources. So far she felt three slight surges against hers. One was far weaker than the others and she felt that it might be Bardock's compared to Turpin's and Seluri's. Well, at first anyway. She had opened her eyes to verify the directions at one point and discovered that the weakest was emanating from Turpin. This left her puzzled.

Even now as she was continuing the practice of feeling out power levels-which was surprisingly easier than Bardock let on-she was beginning to feel fainter readings surging against her own ki. She could even feel the powerful reading that they were currently en route to investigate, albeit faintly. She knew why Bardock had such trouble with this skill, though. While he was powerful and could fight his way out of just about any situation, he had a difficult time with focusing his mind. This skill required constant focus and she knew that eventually it would be second nature to feel, or sense, power levels. But for Bardock it was difficult because it required constant focus. He never was very good at academics because he preferred to use his mind for fighting and fighting only. Using it to focus on and seek out opponents based on ki signatures was strenuous for him and pointless according to his thinking.

It amused her. She allowed herself a grin and opened her eyes slightly to find Bardock peering at her with his ever-present stern glare.

"What's so funny?" he asked warily.

Her grin broadened and she shook her head. "I'm just thinking about you and this skill. I understand why you've been having trouble mastering it. It's surprisingly easy, though."

He snorted and folded his arms. "Takes too much thinking."

"Which is why you've been struggling with it," she laughed.

He scowled. "And you find that amusing?"

"Of course I do, but only because I understand you and how your mind works. You and focusing haven't been very good friends."

Bardock snorted again and looked towards the bridge where Seluri and Turpin were talking quietly. "So what can you sense about those two?"

"Well, Seluri is stronger than either one of us, and Turpin…" she trailed off with a frown. "I don't understand it, but he's weaker than us. I'd be surprised if he was as strong as Turles. I don't understand that. Isn't he supposed to be even stronger than Tettuce was?"

"Yeah, he's supposed to be. I don't get it myself." Bardock shrugged and glanced back to her with a strange look. "Seripa…"

She looked up at him, her frown vanishing at the look on his face. She stood up but she still had to crane her neck to look up at him. "What is it, Bardock?"

He sighed and lifted a hand to snatch up a thick lock of hair touching his shoulders. "I need you to cut my hair. It's driving me crazy." He looked down at her as she began to laugh.

"Are you kidding me?" She laughed again and shook her head. "Is it bothering you that much?"

"Yes. Yes it is!" He scowled and folded his arms across his chest. "There's too much of it and it's going to get in my way during a fight. Fighting Frieza it kept getting into my eyes. I was blind at times! Stop laughing!" He groaned when Seripa doubled over holding her stomach. He rolled his eyes and turned away. "Whatever."

She straightened up and caught his arm, trying to stifle her laughter. "Bardock, I'm sorry. I just can't believe that you haven't asked sooner. Though, to be honest, I kind of like this new look."

He glanced over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow. "Well, that's too bad. I want this shit gone. Gods damn it. Seripa, stop laughing!"

But it was too late; she was laughing again. He sighed and shook his head.

"Quiet!"

Seripa's laughter faded as she and Bardock looked to see Seluri staring wide-eyed at Turpin. His single-eyed gaze was frozen at the monitor inlayed in the console before him.

"Who're ye?" Turpin asked of the monitor.

A voice drifted quietly from the speakers, its tone deadly.

"_I am called The Priest. Turpin, you are my next target."_

"Priest? Th' Priest…Ah've 'eard o' ya. Rumors 're dat ya's w'rk fer th' Lizard."

"_Lies. I work for the highest paying customer. Frieza just happens to pay rather well." _The voice laughed quietly.

Turpin frowned and scowled. "Ah know's ya, don' I? Yer voice is fa-mi-li-ar. Who 're ya's?"

The black monitor suddenly lit up to reveal the cloaked figure of the Priest, his grinning lips behind his gray and black beard the only feature visible from the shadows of his hood. _"Perhaps there was a time when we knew each other, Cleric Turpin. Perhaps there was a time when you, Cleric Seluri, and I all knew each other."_

Seluri's mouth fell open and she looked over at Turpin who kept his gaze glued to the monitor. "It cannot be…"

The Priest laughed. _"Perhaps there was a time that I was known as Cleric Ka'bijj." _His hands lifted and he pulled his hood back, his grin never fading as his gray and black mohawk and dark green eyes became visible. _"It was very clever, Turpin, you faking your death. I should have guessed the truth years ago."_

Turpin was silent. Bardock and Seripa stood behind him, staring over his shoulders at the monitor.

"But you died!" Seluri suddenly cried. "Tettuce killed you!"

The Priest-Ka'bijj-turned his gaze from Turpin and to Seluri. _"The little whelp very nearly did. He did a convincing enough job to fool Turpin, here." _His tone softened and his grin vanished. _"Seluri, I should have paid heed to your warnings. Tettuce was far too volatile. Neither Turpin nor I could control his bouts of rage. He became a literal monster when he was angry."_

"If ya's lived, den why 're ya's jus' now c'ntactin' us? Why no' sooner?" Turpin asked quietly, his single eye glinting dangerously.

Ka'bijj shrugged and folded his arms. _"What would have been the point? You kept Tettuce close even after he 'killed' me. You were not to be swayed in your decision. At that point I believed the Clerics to be finished, so I abandoned my title and took to mercenary work. It has been most profitable. Frieza just paid me 50,000,000 Galactic Credits to kill you, after all." _He grinned again. _"And the stupid lizard paid in advance."_

"Hm." Turpin was silent as he regarded his former peer. "Ah s'ppose th' question now…is if'n ya's 're gonna kill me? Ah r'lly 'ave nuthin' t' say t' ya's."

"_Not surprising. At least Seluri had the decency to tell us outright that she was renouncing her title. And I just did it without consulting either one of you." _Ka'bijj's eyes narrowed as he stared at Turpin. _"I have not considered myself a Cleric in decades, Turpin. But I am still Ka'bijj, a true Saiyan of Planet Saintya-"_

"'Saintya?'" Bardock and Seripa echoed unnoticed.

"_-and as such, I will not attack a member of the Clerics of the Old World. No matter how high the price on your head may be."_

"Somehow…Ah don' b'lieve ya's…" said Turpin coldly.

Ka'bijj regarded Turpin silently, his gaze unwavering. Suddenly he grinned. _"You never were very trusting, Turpin. Smart on your part. Very smart, because I do intend to kill you. You who ruined our chances at rebuilding the Clerics."_

"No!" Seluri glared at the monitor as Ka'bijj looked at her. "Turpin tried harder than any of us! We ALL should have been there to guide Tettuce. But no, I ran and then you, too. Turpin remained devoted to the cause and continued to train and teach Tettuce the ways of the Clerics! And our chances were not ruined! These two here," she said as she absently gestured towards Bardock and Seripa, causing Ka'bijj to acknowledge them for the first time, "are more than worthy of the titles! We are on our way now to the last of the Training Grounds—"

"Seluri!" Turpin cut her off, but it was too late. He groaned as she clamped her mouth shut and glanced at him apologetically.

Ka'bijj laughed. _"So you are returning to the Training Grounds, hm? And you two truly believe that these two lower life-forms are worthy of being called Clerics?"_

Turpin growled. "Dey fought Thunda Lizard 'nd ac'ually 'urt 'im. Ah t'ink dey're more'n worthy."

"_Hm. Perhaps they are. The Galactic Band has been buzzing with unconfirmed rumors of a group of Saiyans that fought Frieza on Jynn-jin 13." _He looked Bardock and Seripa over slowly. His eyes lingered on Seripa and they glinted darkly. _"You must be Seluri's daughter. You look just like her. But…I see traces of your father, as well. Particularly in the set of your eyes and the way you hold yourself tall, despite your diminutive stature." _His eyes flickered briefly to Seluri before he grinned again. _"I assume your mother has not told you who your father is, has she?"_

Seripa frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Ka'bijj, no! She knows who her father was!" yelled Seluri.

"_You lying whore," _he said calmly and without taking his eyes from Seripa. _"What is worse is that your own father did not even know you existed. But I see his youthful features when I look at you. I see the face he once wore at your age." _His dark green eyes shifted slightly so that he was looking at Turpin. _"You never knew, did you?"_

Turpin blinked and looked at Seluri. He glanced over his shoulder at Seripa and then back to Ka'bijj with a frown. "Wha' 're ya's talkin' 'bout?"

Ka'bijj grinned. _"I imagine that Seluri thought I was gone for good. She knew that I lived through Tettuce's attack, did you not Seluri?" _He looked back to her, his grin fading. _"After that night you thought I really did die, didn't you? You never knew that by the point I was already well established as 'The Priest.' And I never would have guessed that you would have allowed yourself to be tied down with a mate and children. All sons, too. Until Seripa, that is…" _He returned his gaze to Seripa and smiled slightly.

"If you're implying that you're my father, you're a little late!" snapped Seripa. She was getting fed-up with these mind games he was trying to play. "I knew all along that the man who neglected raising me was not my father. Seluri told me the truth when I was a little girl. The only thing she never told me was my father's name, only that he was an old friend of hers. So if you are claiming responsibility—"

"It's not Ka'bijj, Seripa…" Seluri said quietly.

Ka'bijj looked at her sharply. _"What do you mean?"_

Turpin blinked again and looked at Seluri. "D'ya mean…?"

She nodded and looked at Seripa with a sigh. "This is just a day of revelations isn't it?" She tried to laugh, but it came out choked. She sighed again. "Turpin…he is your father."

Turpin spun in his seat to look up at Seripa. "Well, least she gots yer height."

Seripa blinked and stepped back. Turpin? The legendary Turpin was _her _father? She was the child of not one, but TWO Clerics of the Old World?

"_Impossible!"_

"No, Ka'bijj. It is not impossible. She was born two years after our night together. Nothing came from our union. Turpin and I…It was just a few months before he faked his death. I knew he was about to go into hiding and where he was going to be, because he came and told me. At the time…Well, I thought it would be the last time that I would see him. He was the last Cleric…and I…well…" she trailed off and looked down.

Ka'bijj glared at her. _"You whore!"_

Turpin, on the other hand, laughed. "Ah-ha! We's bot' slep' wit' 'er!"

Seluri looked up, her face instantly red. "TURPIN!"

But the short man continued to laugh, while Bardock glanced around at everyone in bewilderment.

Ka'bijj glared around at all of them. _"I know where the Training Grounds are…I'll be waiting. Just be ready to die."_

And the monitor went blank.

All was silent as Seluri stared at the monitor and Seripa stared at Turpin, who grinned back at her. She blinked in surprise…shock really…Both of her parents were alive and in the same ship as her. She staggered back and turned away from them, her eyes wide and glistening with barely held tears. Emotion welled up and threatened to overtake her. So much had happened and so fast…She had a living sister who could almost pass as her twin; her mate had somehow survived Frieza's killing blast; her mother had escaped before the planet had been destroyed; and now her father turned out to be one of the most illustrious Saiyans to ever live, Turpin.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump and she spun around to see Bardock looking down at her solemnly, his gaze soft as he stared at her. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, embarrassed at herself for showing such emotion.

They were still standing like that when Turpin announced that they were almost to their destination…

_**DBZ**_

Broco and Diamond stood side by side in defensive postures guarding Berik's prone form as Amotto was knocked around by Falmer.

The Beast had given up toying with the woman and had unleashed his full power on her. He was savagely beating the defiant woman left and right, blood flying from her nose and mouth with every strike.

Broco could barely stand to watch it. The only thing that was keeping him from trying to help was the fact that he knew he was too weak to do anything besides get himself killed. His fists clenched tight at his sides and he closed his eye tight. He had already lost Amotto once…and now he was being forced to watch as he lost her again…

His eye opened and he leveled his gaze on Falmer's back as he stood over Amotto.

He couldn't take this anymore. He had to do _something_!

He looked to Diamond at his side and made up his mind. His blue aura came to life and he sprang forward, gathering red ki into the palms of both hands.

"Broco, no!" Diamond cried behind him, but he was already en route.

He rushed Falmer at top speed…Falmer looked over his shoulder just as Broco thrust both hands forward…

And he was suddenly lying on his back, his twin balls of ki in Falmer's hand as The Beast held Broco pinned to the ground with his bare foot on the Saiyan's chest.

"Pathetic Saiyan…what did you hope to accomplish?" Falmer chuckled as he canceled out the two orbs and knelt down to glare into Broco's single eye.

"There's no hope of beating you," Broco responded quietly, his voice shaking with barely suppressed fear. "But I had to try something."

Falmer grinned and nodded slowly. "Courage. I admire that. Pointless though it may be, I do admire your courage. This is twice you've stood up to The Beast."

Amotto suddenly appeared in the air beside him and drove both of her feet firmly into the side of his head, knocking him away from Broco. She landed unsteadily and stood up shakily, her eyes narrowed as she panted heavily. She winced and looked down at Broco, her hard gaze unwavering.

"That was foolish, Broco!" she snapped down at the prone man. "Stay out of this, and leave him to me!"

Broco blinked in surprise, but she dashed away before he could say anything. He hurried to his feet, cringing in pain as he did. He looked around and spotted Amotto attacking Falmer all-out, her fists and feet blurs of motion as Falmer's head snapped side to side and front to back. He watched in horror as Falmer suddenly caught Amotto's fist and in the same instant punched her in the gut so hard as to send her crashing backwards into what was left of the ship. He closed his eye and turned his head away from the sight. He couldn't bear it. Why was Amotto fighting so hard when it was hopeless…?

A faint pop from somewhere above him caught his attention. He opened his eye and looked into the sky to see a flaming streak descending rapidly towards the ground. His eye went wide as it suddenly veered and shot into the distance. He followed it with his eye as it vanished into the dusty horizon.

"AAARRRRGGGHHH!"

He turned his attention back to the fight to see a thin green beam of energy burning through Falmer's left shoulder. The Beast had his head thrown back and was roaring into the sky as Amotto stood defiantly, blood staining her face and armor, with her arms outstretched and hands clasped together, both index fingers pointed toward him as she fired the small, but obviously powerful beam.

Broco allowed himself a brief grin. But it was brief as Falmer's form flickered and then he was on top of Amotto, backhanding her across the ground. He stared after the bouncing woman for a moment before looking down at his smoldering wound.

Amotto tumbled for a few seconds before skidding to a stop on her side. Her eyes were tightly closed in pain and her chest heaved rapidly and heavily as she struggled for air. She coughed weakly as she tried to sit up and blood splattered to the ground.

She opened her eyes slowly and looked towards Falmer as she wavered in place, one hand on the ground to steady herself.

"Is…that the best…you've got…_Beast?_" she asked, sarcasm dripping from her last word.

Falmer lifted his dark gaze and glared at her as she climbed back to her feet. He grinned darkly. "Stubborn, aren't we?" he asked, his raspy voice dangerous.

"You're the…stubborn one. You should just…give up. _I _never will." Amotto straightened up, barely suppressing a wince as she lifted a hand to wipe blood from her lips; she only succeeded in smearing it across her cheek. She clenched both hands tight and took shaky steps forward, advancing determinedly. "I will beat you, _Beast._ Today is your day of reckoning. This planet will be your grave."

"Doubtful."

"Not to me."

"We'll see about that."

"Yes, we will!" Amotto suddenly lunged forward, thrusting her fist forward with every ounce of strength and ki she could muster. Despite her defiant talk she knew that beating Falmer was hopeless. Her bravado could only carry her so far. So as she advanced rapidly on the Gylderian, his malevolently smiling face drawing ever closer, she allowed her eyes to close for what she imagined would be the last time…

Her fist impacted something solid and she came to an immediate, jarring stop. She remained motionless waiting for the blow that would finish her. But it never came. She opened her eyes and they immediately widened as she took in an impossibly familiar face beyond the hand that was closed around her fist.

"_You!_" she said breathlessly as golden eyes turned to look at her in amusement. The man had long hair and a thick beard, but she recognized the face of the haughty Zether Zetra. He was wearing white and black, elite armor over black underarmor.

"I should be saying that. Frieza blew you into tiny pieces." His eyes flickered to her arms and he cringed. "Well, maybe not tiny pieces. But you sure weren't whole the last time I saw you. By all rights you should be dead. But Saiyans are tough creatures, so I'm not really all that surprised." He flashed a grin and winked at her as he released her hand.

Amotto blinked up at him her weakness momentarily forgotten. She looked around until she saw Falmer digging himself out of a trench as dust settled around him and then looked back up at Zether with a glare.

"How dare you interfere?! He's MINE to deal with! I CAN handle him!" she seethed at him. Her whole body trembled as she took deep, heavy breaths. She had the power to handle The Beast. She could FEEL it! She just hadn't tapped into it, yet. And now here Zether was, appearing from nowhere, taking her chance away from her. Never mind the fact that she had previously resolved to accept her death; she was angry that Zether had stepped into HER fight.

Zether arched an eyebrow and folded his arms across his armored chest, covering the X'ed out Ginyu Force symbol emblazoned across the upper left chest piece. "Well, aren't you grateful? Listen, I can feel your power and I can tell that you're much more powerful than you used to be. But the fact of the matter is that you aren't powerful enough to fight Falmer. I am, so please just step back and do not get in my way."

Amotto's eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to speak, but Diamond's hand suddenly clamped over her mouth and she was pulled back as Zether turned to face Falmer.

The Beast smirked as he regarded the golden-haired man. "So…an even more powerful opponent. Perhaps I will get to test the full extent of my power after all."

Zether returned the smirk and stepped back into a fighting stance. "Perhaps. One or the other you will get to see MY power, Falmer."

_**DBZ**_

_**(I apologize for the delay of this chapter. I've had a difficult time writing it and I'm honestly not too satisfied with it. But as I have heard often, I am my own worst critic. R/R as always and thanks for reading! Next chapter should be up sooner!) **_


	24. Deliver Us From Evil

_**Chapter Twenty-Four: Deliver Us From Evil**_

"_The tank is empty, let it dry  
__I'm suffering!  
__A passion ending, so the world ceases turning  
__The tank is empty, let it dry!  
__So now I hope you see!  
__I'm nothing more than human!  
__Making plans for enemies!  
__But here we go again!  
__Deliver us from evil!  
__Crawling back to insanity!"  
__**Deliver Us From Evil-Bullet For My Valentine**_

_**DBZ**_

Falmer stared silently at Zether, that malevolent grin plastered firmly on his burnt-red face. His hands opened and closed continuously in anticipation at his sides. A powerful opponent worthy of testing his own power had finally appeared. And it just so happened that that opponent was a Gylderian! He could not have felt a greater joy!

"Get the hell off me!" Amotto screeched, shaking free of Diamond's grasp. She cast a glare at the other woman and then turned to Zether in anger. "No you don't! That bastard is mine to deal with!"

Falmer and Zether both glanced at the Saiyan woman at the same time. Falmer scowled as Zether sighed.

"Look lady, if you had the power to beat him I would gladly leave him to you. But the fact of the matter is that you just aren't strong enough to fight him. He'll murder you. Leave him to me and then you can claw my eyes out afterwards. Okay?"

"NO! It's not okay!"

Broco staggered over to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Amotto, listen to him. Just leave Falmer to him and rest. You've done enough. You did well against him, better than I could have, but you can't beat him."

Amotto ignored him, keeping her glaring gaze firmly on Zether. "Step back. I'll kill him. Not you."

"I actually don't plan on killing him unless I really have to, so I'll have to decline that offer," said Zether smoothly as he returned his gaze to his brother.

"IT WASN'T AN OFFER!" Amotto screamed in agitation.

"Amotto! Settle down!" Broco yelled.

That got her attention. She slowly turned her gaze to him and glared at him in silence. She slapped him, sending him staggering backwards.

Broco clutched his cheek and looked at the green-haired woman in surprise. "Amotto, what is wrong with you?"

She just glared at him, her anger radiating out like heat.

"Amotto?"

"Shut up, Broco." She turned her back on him and stalked away, leaving him standing there clutching his cheek in stunned silence.

Zether watched it all from the corner of his eye, an eyebrow arched slightly in interest. This woman was almost as hot-headed as Tettuce had been.

"Are you gonna just stand there all day? Do you plan to fight me at all?" The Beast suddenly demanded.

Zether focused his attention on Falmer and flashed him a grin. "Oh yeah, don't you worry about that. We'll be fighting soon enough. But how about I even the playing field first? What do you say?"

Falmer arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Zether shifted his stance so that his arms were at his sides angled up, and his legs were spread and bent at the knees. "You want to test your power, right? Well you're still much stronger than I currently am. Allow me to close the distance and give you a REAL challenge." His long hair suddenly began to wave in a light breeze and his golden eyes began to flash.

Falmer's eyes went wide and gleeful grin spread across his features. "A real challenge! Yes! That is what I want! I want a REAL fight!"

"Good. I'll give you a _damn_ good one, brother…" Zether closed his eyes as black sparks flashed around his body. "You're The Beast…But I'm about to show you something from another legend."

The Beast furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side as the sparks around Zether's body began to flash quicker, flickers of black flames appearing randomly. "And what is that?"

Zether's eyes opened and he leveled blood-red eyes on his brother, a grin splitting his lips as the sparks merged and culminated in black flames around his body. His hair lifted up at the same instant the flames suddenly pulsed and then flared around his body into a roaring tempest. His hair flashed white, streaks of black appearing in the length between each flash until his flashing hair was solid black. Then streaks of red appeared as the flashing began to die down, all the while black flames roared around his body sending plumes of sand billowing out in every direction.

Diamond gasped and brought her hand to her mouth as her eyes widened. "The Kin Slayer!" she said in a hissing whisper.

Broco blinked and looked around at the woman in confusion. "The what?"

"The Kin Slayer. There's a second legend that goes with the first. The Beast was supposed to be an uncontrollable kinsman…The Kin Slayer was the answer to The Beast. Those who became the Kin Slayer were charged with stopping The Beast…because the Kin Slayers were reformed Beasts." She looked at the Saiyan, slowly blinking her eyes. "According to the stories, it was sometimes possible for a Gylderian that had become The Beast to overcome his primal state and regain his or her former consciousness. If they were successful, then they ascended to the Kin Slayer state."

Broco gave her an odd look before shaking his head. "You Gylderians sure have odd names for your transformations."

Falmer had been listening to the exchange. Upon hearing Broco refer to the names as odd, he was reminded of the Saiyan woman ridiculing 'The Beast.' He frowned and looked around until he spotted her, immediately resolving to kill her just as soon as he was finished with his new opponent.

Zether followed Falmer's gaze and he knew almost immediately what Falmer had been thinking. It wasn't difficult. He, too, had attained The Beast transformation. His own determination had allowed him to overcome the madness that came with it. But not before he had experienced what it was like to be The Beast. He had, after all, been stuck in that state during his Writ of Passage for the better part of three days. It had not been fun.

His gaze shifted back to Falmer just as Falmer looked back to him. His grin returned and his flaming aura settled down as he straightened up. "That's better. Now we can have a decent fight."

"Now we can have a decent fight," Falmer echoed with a wide, sadistic grin. "Until I kill you, anyway," he added, childlike glee in his raspy voice.

Zether smirked. "We'll see about that."

"No, we wo—" Zether's fist appeared imbedded in Falmer's cheek, and The Beast recoiled backwards, blood flying from his mouth. His feet slid through the sand for several yards before he dug in for traction and he came to a stop. He remained poised with his head turned away from Zether, a stunned look on his face.

Slowly his black eyes slid around until he was staring at Zether, a look of…awe on his face. Suddenly he grinned and turned his head so that he could stare straight at the other Gylderian. "Yes. THAT is power!"

Zether offered a cocky grin. "You don't know the half of it, brother. Wait until I really cut loose."

"No need to wait!" Falmer threw his head back and his arms up so his palms were outstretched towards the sky, and a red and black aura exploded to life around his body. Clouds of dust kicked up and were consistently blown away from his body by the pulsing force of his growing power.

Zether blinked in surprise and his grin faded as black bolts of lightning began to arc down from the sky, striking the ground around his brother.

Falmer stared at Zether with wide eyes and a wide, maniacal grin plastered firmly on his blood-stained face. And his power grew and grew.

"Well that was unexpected," Zether murmured to himself as he watched the spectacle before him. He knew that Falmer hadn't yet released all of his strength, but now that he was, he was releasing way more than Zether had anticipated. It wasn't anything that he couldn't handle, but it had certainly surprised him. But all it really meant was that he was going to have to expend more effort than he had originally wanted to. No big deal really.

But Falmer's power kept growing, the distance between his and Zether's shrinking rapidly. Zether frowned and folded his arms across his chest, his black aura fading into nonexistence as Falmer's suddenly expanded with a powerful surge in his ki.

"If this keeps up, I may have a greater challenge on my hands than I originally thought."

Falmer's aura suddenly exploded outwards, vanishing with a loud crack. He lowered his arms and lowered his gaze, his grin firmly plastered in placed, to look at Zether.

"Now the real battle begins…"

"Yes, as brief as it will be, it does begin now." Zether grinned again. Falmer's power had risen greatly, but it was still far below his own.

Falmer smirked and lunged forward, very nearly blurring out of sight.

_**DBZ**_

Diamond watched as Zether and Falmer exchanged blows, her thoughts clouded with awe. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. And even after seeing the things she had seen, she was still amazed by the fact that Zether was alive. She had been told that he had died along with Tettuce, his body vaporized by Frieza.

And yet, here he was. He looked incredibly different, and his power was beyond incredible, but he was alive. She was at a loss to how he had grown his hair and his beard to such lengths in such a short amount of time, but she was glad to see him. His power was far greater than Falmer's so he could subdue her husband and maybe bring him back to his senses.

"Oh…" Berik groaned from behind her and she turned to look down at the man. He was holding his head, his eyes still closed as he groaned.

"Berik…are you alright?" She knelt down beside him as he opened his eyes. He blinked them several times before focusing on her.

"I believe so. What happened?"

An explosion from behind Diamond caused her to look over her shoulder with a grimace. Broco knelt down beside her and they both looked down at the stunned Berik.

"Correction: what _is_ happening?" he asked as he sat up quickly. Without thinking he reached to straighten his glasses, but paused when he noticed a distortion in his vision. He removed his glasses and held them close to his face to inspect the cracks that marred his vision. He shook his head with a sigh before he replaced them.

"Well…" began Broco. He quickly told Berik what had happened, what was currently going on, and finished up with Zether's sudden appearance.

Berik blinked up at the Saiyan before glancing around to see Amotto's back to them. "Well, I am glad to see that she has fully recovered. A bit quicker than I expected, and much stronger than I expected, too."

"Yeah, imagine our surprise." Broco offered a weak smile. He was still feeling the beating he'd taken.

"Yeah. She gave Falmer…" Diamond paused and glanced over at Amotto, then looked back to Berik. "She gave The Beast a good run for a while. She's very powerful."

"That goes without saying," said Broco with a chuckle. He glanced in Amotto's direction. He was glad she was back, but something had changed in her. She wasn't the same woman she had been. But what had changed? That was the question he wanted answered…

_**DBZ**_

Turles stood stoically before the viewscreen in his quarters with his arms folded, staring out into the blackness of space. Or, more specifically, at a giant blue planet surrounded with rings that criss crossed around it. Well, he was staring in its general direction, but wasn't really looking at it. He was still irritated that the others had left him with the Princesses. And after everything that he had done back on Jynn-jin 13, too.

He scowled, turning away from the viewscreen, and started pacing back and forth in front of it. His only purpose aboard this ship was to guard Blythe, but the Gylderian man hadn't yet awoken from the beating that he'd been given. There really wasn't much required of him.

No, Turles was going to rot away aboard this ship. The strength he had gained was going to go to waste.

"Aaarrgghh!" He grabbed handfuls of his hair and spun around in place to glare out of the viewscreen. He couldn't handle the silence! He couldn't handle not having anything to do!

Before the shit had hit the fan he had been constantly busy, helping his team subjugate planets for Frieza. He didn't want to work for the tyrant anymore. He didn't want to be a pawn in the Ice-jin's overall scheme. But he also could not stand being dead weight. Or being used as dead weight, anyway. He had no purpose, no direction; nothing to keep his hands and his mind busy.

Slowly he turned in place to stare in the direction of the bridge. He knew what he wanted, but he had been so busy lately that he had allowed himself to lose sight of what he wanted. Briefly he had surpassed his brother, but all-too quickly Bardock had passed him as if he were standing still. Seripa, too. He knew where he could go for a quick power boost: Planet Entide.

He could easily hijack this ship and plot a course there. By the time anyone realized what he'd done, it'd be too late. He would already be far too powerful for even Turpin to do anything about it. Maybe even Frieza.

He allowed a slow smirk to twist his features and he lifted a hand to pull idly at his chin. He wanted power and he could have it easily enough. He had tricked that buffoon Caul into helping him before. He knew there was no one aboard this ship who would willingly assist him; maybe Etapa, considering the girl seemed to have a serious crush on him. But no, his sights were set on Blythe. Idiot and traitor aside, Turles was still more powerful than the Gylderian. He could temporarily recruit the man's assistance and when all was said and done, he could dispose of him like he'd done to Caul. It wouldn't be overly difficult.

What did he care about the future of the Saiyans and the Gylderians? Not a lick, he knew. He didn't care about vengeance against Frieza. Sure, he'd like to eventually kill the lizard himself for the things he'd done, but that didn't change the fact that all he wanted was power. He had already had a taste of it and with the fruit from the Tree of Might back on Planet Entide…Well, Entide was very nearly a barren wasteland. But he knew of several planets where he could grow other trees and produce more of the fruit that would grant him the power he so wanted.

His eyes narrowed and he turned to look out into space again. This ship was never going to reach Earth. He would state his purpose. He would offer an ultimatum. He would give the people aboard the chance to choose between joining him and living…or refusing and dying. No one could stop him. The only people that could were light-years away…

"Turles…?"

He turned to the doorway of his quarters to see Etapa standing timidly just inside the room.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

"Um…I was wondering…well…"

Turles rolled his eyes. "Well spit it out, already."

Etapa stiffened and glanced away. She was quiet as she stood there fidgeting nervously. Finally she lifted her gaze to him again with a sheepish smile.

He arched an eyebrow and folded his arms. "Well?"

"N-nothing. I just wanted to thank you for what you did back on Jynn-jin 13. The way you saved us all. It…it was very brave…and noble of you." She smiled a little more confidently then turned and was gone.

Turles stared after her in silence.

"Well…She won't be joining me."

_**DBZ**_

Leta was deep in thought when Turles walked onto the bridge. She barely acknowledged his presence. If she had she might have noticed the dark look in his eyes as he walked silently around the bridge. If she had noticed it, she might have been able to prevent what was about to happen.

But by the time it happened, it was already too late.

Within seconds of his entrance he was suddenly on top of her, his fist crushing her nose into her skull. After that everything was a blur for her. Light flashed as hers and Surah's subjects attacked the Saiyan teenager. She was vaguely aware of lying on the dais in front of her throne, Surah's lifeless body lying only inches away. Her vision shifted in and out of focus as she tried to make sense of what was going on.

Her last conscious thought—her last living thought as her heart thudded to a halt—was to wonder why Turles had just snapped Lessbru's neck…

_**DBZ**_

Seripa stared into the blackness of space, her thoughts clouded with emotions. Confusion, anger, betrayal…She could name only a few of the dominant ones. She kept asking herself why Seluri had hid something so important from her. Then she asked herself why she even had to ask. Seluri had hid the fact that she had a sister from her for her entire life. Why was this any different?

She sighed and pulled her legs close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and rested her cheek against her knee.

Turpin was her father. Seluri was alive. Leta was her sister. A demented Cleric wanted to kill them all. What next? Was Frieza going to suddenly declare himself her brother? Would he become a champion of peace?

She scoffed at the thought and sighed again. "What has my life become? A little more than a year ago I was completely oblivious to this shit. Day in and day out I just did what I was ordered to do. Now…" she trailed off and shook her head.

"Now things are complicated."

She tilted her head and looked side-long at Bardock as he suddenly appeared to her left. He was staring into the darkness beyond the viewscreen. She noticed that his hair was back to his original style.

"You cut your hair."

"Yeah."

She stared at him for a moment longer then returned her violet-eyed gaze to the stars. "Complicated is an understatement."

"Hmmph. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it's an overstatement." He folded his arms across his chest and snorted.

"An overstatement?" She scoffed. "If you say so."

"You're over-reacting. You're stronger than this, Seripa. I know because I trained you. And yet here you are, sitting alone in our quarters pitying yourself." His eyes slide sideways as he looked down at her coldly. "I love you, Seripa. But this doesn't suit you."

"That's easy for you to say, Bardock," she said with an edge to her voice. "Things haven't exactly been easy for me this last year. I had to personally watch you die; I was forced to become a leader when I didn't want to; I led the people looking to me to their deaths; I'm partly responsible for Tettuce's death—"

Bardock rounded on her, stooping to grab her shoulders roughly and give her a shake. "Don't you dare do that! Tettuce died at Frieza's hands. He chose to stand and die so the others could escape. Stop pitying yourself this instant!"

She shook him off and stood up quickly, her violet eyes burning as she glared up at him. "Pitying myself? I'm only acknowledging the truth!"

"The truth? What truth? That your mother fucking lied to you? So what! What would knowing everything you know now have changed? Do you think that your life would've been any different? Maybe if everyone knew Turpin was your sire they would have treated you differently. But it wouldn't have been with respect! Turpin was hated by our people and you know that!"

"That's not what this is about!" Seripa screamed, nearly at the top of her lungs.

Bardock folded his arms again and arched an eyebrow. "Then what is your problem?"

"I'm trying to figure out why I even fucking care!" She spun around so her back was to him and folded her arms beneath her breasts. "That's all I want to know…" she said quietly. "Turpin has never been a part of my life. Seluri barely has. You're alive. Kakarrot is alive. We're well on our way to becoming strong enough to kill Frieza. I…I'm glad we're able to do something about what he did to our people. THAT'S what I should care about." She looked down and slowly turned around. "So why do I feel this way…?" She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. "Why the fuck do I care about things that don't matter? Why the fuck do I care about things that happened in the past?"

Bardock regarded her in silence as the tears dripped down her cheeks. His face was stony as he lifted his hands to gently brush her tears away with his thumb.

"We Saiyans are more complicated than we've allowed ourselves to believe, Seripa." His voice was flat and without inflection. "Which is stupid," he all-but spat. "The evidence has been there all along, but we've refused to see it. We _do_ care. Despite what we've been led to believe, we do really care. About our children; about our parents; about our siblings." His gaze softened slightly and he stooped to look directly into her eyes. "About each other. We've always cared, even though we've never shown it. I may not be able to control my visions, but I have at least learned something from them: I don't want our future to include stories of how sadistic and uncaring the Saiyans were, because that's not who we are."

"But that's who we've _been_ for so long," Seripa murmured as she lowered her gaze and closed her eyes.

Bardock's dropped and gently forced her to raise her head back up. "Look at me."

Seripa sighed and opened her eyes to look up at her mate. He was smiling down at her, his gaze softer than she'd seen in a long time. On very rare occasions she could get him to give her that look. And that was when she realized it. Her eyes widened and she blinked up at him in sudden clarity as he grinned down at her.

He was right. It had been obvious but they had ignored it. Yes, Saiyans were a race of warriors. But they were also capable of being a race of lovers. Why else did they take mates? Rear children? Care for family members that were ill?

Through all of her memories of carnage and death, Seripa recalled the few shining examples of what her race was truly capable of. She had seen Bardock with Raditz. She had seen him laugh and smile around the boy. She had also seen him scowl and look bitter whenever the boy's mother was around, but it was natural.

She had spent hardly any time around her own son, Kakarrot. But she still loved him more than life itself and would unquestionably sacrifice herself for him. She saw what Bardock saw…all-too clearly.

"Our strength ain't in ignoring the things that have happened to us," Bardock said firmly. "But in bein' able to rise above and conquer our emotions, and then use them to fuel our strength."

Seripa looked down and wiped the tears from her eyes. When she returned her gaze to Bardock's, he saw the flames of her inner fire burning bright once more, a fierce smirk gracing her lips.

"Which is the true reason why we are the Invincible Saiyans," she said proudly. Sometimes she hated when Bardock was right. But this wasn't one of those times.

_**DBZ**_

_** (Individual Lies here. Witness has been a lot of fun for me to write, but it is winding down to an end. Right now I estimate that it'll be finished in four or five chapters. Tentatively speaking, of course. Lol I have a bad habit of dragging things out. But for being loyal and supportive, I will try and wrap things up pretty quick. Once again, and as always, I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and review this story.)**_


	25. Bring Me to Life

_**Chapter Twenty-Five: Bring Me to Life**_

"_Wake me up! (Wake me up inside!)  
__I can't wake up! (Wake me up inside!)  
__Save me!  
__(Call my name and save me from the dark)  
__Wake me up! (Bid my blood to run!)  
__I can't wake up! (Before I come undone!)  
__Save me!  
(Save me from the nothing I've become!)"_

_** Bring Me to Life-Evanescence **_

_**DBZ**_

Leta was deep in thought. Beside her, Surah was, too. There was no doubt in Leta's mind that her sister was thinking of the exact same thing she was: what to do once they arrived on Earth. They had a long road to recovery ahead of them. Both of their respective races had been reduced to mere handfuls compared to the great numbers they once possessed. The Gylderian Empire was nothing now. Leta was sure that there were survivors scattered around the universe. The whole race hadn't been situated on the home world, after all. The population was too great even for the great planet they hailed from.

The Saiyan race was another story. While there were surely some survivors other than the ones aboard their ship, the numbers were without a doubt far less than the Gylderian survivors.

The overall situation looked hopeless, to say the least.

Leta sighed and lifted both hands to massage to her temples. She hated stress and there seemed to be a never-ending supply of it these days. A man that the Gylderian champion had personally vouched for was currently residing in the brig because of the fact that he had betrayed them all to Frieza. That fact bothered her greater than she let on. It implied that it was possible there were other traitors amongst the Gylderian people. She highly doubted any Saiyans would do it due to the simple fact that Saiyans were such a prideful bunch. An attack on one Saiyan was an attack on all Saiyans. Their home world being destroyed was more than enough to ensure that no Saiyan would betray his kinsmen.

"Lady Leta," Etapa called from one of the consoles.

She looked up and to the woman curiously. She had not noticed her arrival. She had requested to be excused from the bridge a few minutes ago and Leta had not seen her return. She frowned and stood up to cross the bridge to the woman's terminal.

"What is it, Etapa?"

Etapa removed her earpiece and held it out to her. "Bardock is on the comm. He demanded to speak with you and only you."

Leta frowned and eyed the earpiece in confusion, before taking it and placing it in her ear. "This is Leta."

_"Princess, this is Bardock. I'm not sure how much time I have, but I need to tell you something."_

Her frowned deepened and she glanced around the bridge. So far no one was looking her way, but something told her it would not be long before the attention of the entire bridge was on her.

"Okay. What is it?"

_"You can choose to believe the words I'm about to say or not. It doesn't really matter. All that matters is that everyone on that ship is in danger. I need you to understand that I can see the future and I had a vision a few minutes ago that bothered me. It didn't seem like the vision took place very far into the future, so I knew I had to contact you as soon as possible." _He paused for a moment and then said,_ "Very soon Turles is going to kill everyone aboard your ship."_

Leta's eyes went wide and she had to bite her tongue to keep from exclaiming. She swallowed back a sudden lump and glanced to the entrance of the bridge.

"What do we do?"

_"You listen to me. Send someone to get him and tell him I need to talk to him. Make sure whoever you send relays that it is _urgent! _Otherwise he may ignore the summons and kill everyone and _then_ contact me. Do this now."_

"Okay." Leta glanced down at Etapa. "Go get Turles and have him come to the bridge. Tell him Bardock is on the comm and needs to speak with him now. Tell him it is urgent."

Etapa frowned but obeyed, vanishing from the bridge within seconds.

"What is your plan, Bardock?"

Bardock growled. _"To give him the worst tongue lashin' the brat's ever had. I won't have him doin' stupid things. No one in my family is gonna make _me_ look bad."_

Leta allowed herself a small smile at that. "You think it will work to prevent a massacre?" She glanced around and then lowered her voice to a whisper. "There's no one aboard this ship that could possibly stop him. No one save for Blythe, but I would not choose to trust him even for an instant."

_"Smart thinking. Don't worry about it, Princess. I've got a surefire way to prevent him from killing anyone. He wanted to come train with us but I wouldn't allow it. After I'm done talkin' to him, I'm goin' to send coordinates to your pilot. Ya'll will meet us there and we'll take Turles with us. And that idiot traitor you have in your brig."_

"Wasn't he left with us to offer up some sort of protection?"

_"Yeah, he was. But if he's walkin' the line that closely, then he needs to be under proper supervision. Namely mine. I'll shove a boot so far up his ass when I see him for even _thinkin' _about killin' anyone that he'll never think about it again."_

Leta covered her mouth to stifle a laugh at that. She could plainly see Bardock doing that to his brother. She knew his history so it came as no surprise.

"Well then. I like the sound of that." The door to the bridge slid open and Turles stepped in, glancing around briefly before he spotted her. He made his way over and stopped before her. The look in his eyes was dark and she felt a chill run down her spine. Thanks to Bardock they had just barely dodged a bullet.

"Here's Turles," she said to Bardock and then removed the earpiece and held it out to the teenager.

Turles cocked an eyebrow and took the earpiece and placed it into his ear. "What's up, Bardock? Ya'll decide you needed me alone after all?"

_"Somethin' like that," _his brother growled into his ear. Then he let loose a string of obscenities which sent Turles' eyes wide and caused Leta to jump back in surprise. She more than close enough to hear so she put some distance between herself and the teenager.

Turles stood in open mouth shock, one eye closed in discomfort as Bardock yelled at the top of his lungs into his ear.

There was a pause and Turles said, "Wait, how did you-?"

_"Did your stupid ass forget that I can see the future?! I'm learnin' to control the damn power and I've been usin' it to watch the futures of people that I can't keep a physical eye on! Of-fuckin'-course I would be watchin' YOU!"_

Turles looked down sullenly and mumbled something.

_"You foolish boy! Power ain't everything! If I'd known you would even consider somethin' so stupid I would've brought you with us! BUT only so I could make sure you wouldn't do somethin' stupid! Well congratu-fuckin'-lations! You're gettin' what you wanted, but not exactly HOW you wanted! We'll train you, too, but for the most part we'll be havin' to babysit your fuckin' ass! So pat yourself on the back! You've proven just how stupid you can be!"_

Turles looked around the bridge darkly and felt heat rise in his cheeks as he saw that everyone aboard was looking right at him. He looked away quickly.

_"You even listenin', Turles?!"_

"Yeah, I'm listenin'." The teenager sighed. "Sorry for…well…Just sorry."

_"You have _no_ idea how sorry you'll be! Now I have somethin' else to deal with. Be expectin' my call soon." _Bardock killed the connection.

Turles grimaced and slowly returned the earpiece to Etapa, carefully avoiding her gaze. He glanced around the bridge and then sullenly returned to his quarters. No, he wouldn't be committing murder today. He would just have to save his intent for when he fought against Frieza…

_**DBZ**_

Bardock came up behind Turpin, his brow furrowed. "Do you feel that?"

Turpin barely glanced at the taller Saiyan. "Ya. 'Nother power fightin' 'gainst da ot'er. Who's it?"

"That? That's Zether, the arrogant little prick. I'm not sure how, but somehow he survived. But that's not what I was talking about."

This time Turpin turned and looked up at him. "Wha' ya mean?"

"I sense three other powers. They're not as powerful as Falmer or Zether, but it feels like they're close by."

"Ah…" Turpin frowned. "Ya, ah feels 'em. Hm…Sel?" He glanced at the female Saiyan to his left, and then laughed. "Oh. Righ'. Ah f'rgot. Ya can's sense powers. Hm…Ah know o' dis Zether. An' j'dgin' b' dis…Ah thin' he c'n 'andle Falmer." He was silent for a few moments, lifting a hand to idly stroke his beard. "Ah don' see 'ny r'son t' 'nvest'gate 'ny f'rther. Ah thin' we's c'n g' on t' da Trainin' Groun's."

"What?" Bardock asked bluntly.

Seluri laughed as Turpin arched an eyebrow at him. "He said that he thinks we should ignore our previous mission to investigate what was going on as it seems that this Zether can handle whatever is happening. He thinks we should proceed straight to the Training Grounds." She glanced slyly at Turpin. "It is not easy to understand his accent when you first meet him. It takes quite a while to get used to it."

Bardock snorted and folded his arms as Turpin took on a look of resentment. "I'd imagine so."

"So," said Seripa as she joined them. "Exactly how long will it take to reach these Training Grounds?"

Seluri glanced at her daughter, pleased to see she had recovered. Of course she and Turpin had heard her yelling at Bardock earlier. It was a small ship, after all. "The Training Grounds are near where Planet Saintya used to be. Which is not in this galaxy. We will have to travel to the Southern Galaxy and that is going to take approximately three weeks through hyper space."

Bardock jerked his attention to Seluri. "Three weeks? Is it necessary to go to these Training Grounds?"

"Hm…" Turpin glanced at Seluri. "He 'as a poin'. C'n ya thin' o' 'ny ot'er place we's c'n go?"

Seluri frowned. "Why change our destination now?"

"Time. Da soona we's g't dese two train'd, da betta."

"What about Ka'bijj?"

Turpin grinned. "He'll fin' us. No doub' 'n ma min'."

Seluri rolled her eyes. "That is what I am worried about. He has always been the strongest of us."

"Ya don' thin' ah ain' been trainin'? Gi' m' mo'e cr'dit dan dat!"

"There is no doubt in my mind that you have been training, Turpin. Ka'bijj, however, has been a mercenary this entire time. You do not think that he has not been fighting against opponents stronger than him?"

Turpin blinked and then frowned. "Ya 'ave a poin' der."

"Of course I do," said Seluri testily. "My question is do you think we can fight against him?"

Turpin shrugged. "Ma'be. Ma'be no'." He glanced at Bardock and Seripa. "Dese two c'n pr'bly take 'im. Train 'em up a bi' and t'rn 'em to Supa Saiyans…Ah thin' dey c'n d' it."

"If you are confident, then I do know of one place we can take them that is nearby. The gravity there is only 15 times Standard, but that should be sufficient."

Turpin grinned. "A'righ'. Plo' a co'rse den."

Seluri grinned. "On it."

DBZ

Falmer struggled to free himself from the headlock Zether had him in. He kicked his legs out, flared his ki, and clawed at the other Gylderian's arm in frustration. Nothing did any good.

Zether made a tsking sound in his ear which succeeded in pissing him off even more. "You'll never get free, brother. Just listen to me. We don't have to do this. I know you're still in there, sleeping within that darkness The Beast brought out. Just hear my words and wake up; it's that easy."

"SHUT UP!" Falmer bellowed as he twisted and jerked in Zether's grasp, trying desperately to free himself. "Let me go and FIGHT ME!"

"No can do, brother. I have no interest in fighting you. Besides, wasn't our little bout earlier enough to show you that you can't beat me? And right now I'm overpowering you with relative ease. Just calm down and let the anger go. Leave the darkness behind and rejoin sanity. I don't really want to have to kill you."

"You'll never kill me! I am THE BEAST!"

"And I am the Kin Slayer, brother. You don't stand a chance."

"Let me go and I'll show you how much of a chance I stand!" Falmer threw his hands out to the sides and black orbs of ki appeared in the palms of his hands. He brought his hands back up to either side of his head, aiming at Zether's face. He released them point blank and they exploded against the surprised Zether's face.

The explosion threw Falmer forward, free from his brother's grasp, and he spun around to see Zether standing, shrouded in smoke, with his arms crossed and shaking his head at the other man.

"You just don't get it, do you?" he sighed and let his arms drop. "Even with all of your power, you just can't hold a candle to mine, Falmer. I'm trying to give you a chance here. I know you can hear me. Wake up, brother. I really don't want to kill you!"

"Shut up! Shut up and fight me!"

Zether sighed again. "I guess I'm just going to have to knock some sense into you…" He lunged forward and slammed his fist into Falmer's face with shockwave-inducing force, sending the older Gylderian sailing backwards.

DBZ

Amotto tried her best to follow the fight. But she was having a difficult time. The two Gylderians were fighting at a level far beyond her capabilities and it annoyed her to no end. Weak. That's all she had been and still was. It had been because she was weak that Frieza had almost killed her. It had been because she was weak that Seripa sent her away from the battlefield.

Her fists tightened into balls at her sides and she ground her teeth together in frustration.

She had the power to fight Falmer. She could _feel _it! But she couldn't reach it, no matter how hard she tried. Nothing seemed to be able to trigger the power she wanted and needed! But the madder she got, the more her blood boiled and she could almost feel a faint barrier wanting to break away and unleash a great torrent of power.

But she couldn't get mad enough to break it. Which made her even angrier, but it still didn't seem to be enough.

She cursed under her breath as she watched Zether pummel his brother into the dirt. That should have been _her_! This fight started out as hers! By all rights it should have been that _she_ was the one beating the tar out of The Beast. But no, Zether was.

Saiyans were supposed to be the strongest warriors. But a Gylderian…no, _two_ Gylderians were much stronger than she was. Granted she hadn't always been the strongest, but now…Now she was powerful enough to do something.

And she was going to!

Her blue aura suddenly exploded to life and she sprang forward with a battle cry, one fist drawn back. She made a bee-line towards Zether, closing the distance in just a few seconds.

The Gylderian must've sensed her because he looked in her direction in surprise an instant before her fist connected with his jaw, sending the stunned man flying away. Her feet hit the ground and she came to a stop, pivoting around and thrusting both hands down at Falmer, who was looking up at her in shock.

"Take this you hot-headed bastard!" Green ki erupted to life and flashed down, exploding with tremendous force against his bare chest and sending him and her both spiraling through the air.

Amotto fell towards the ground, but flipped around at the last second to land heavily on her feet with an eruption of sand all around her. She glared at Falmer as he landed face-first into the sand.

"This is MY fight! Come on BEAST! FIGHT ME!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her aura reappearing around her tiny frame, burning with an intensity that contradicted her stature. Her muscles bulged to their limits, threatening to rip apart what little armor she had left.

Falmer gathered himself to his feet and looked at her with murderous intent. "You _dare _to interfere? You DARE to interfere with MY fight?!"

"This is OUR fight, Beast! I was fighting you first and I will FINISH what I STARTED!" the Saiyan woman declared angrily. "So let's finish it!"

Falmer sneered at her and narrowed his eyes slowly. "Finish it, hm? You got it…" He raised both hands to aim at her and black ki appeared swirling, becoming an orb just centimeters from his palms.

Amotto widened her stance and braced for the coming impact. She could take it. She _just _knew it! She could feel the power hiding just beneath the surface. This attack would bring it out. She was sure of it!

Falmer's sneer became a grin and his aura exploded to life around his body, more ki pouring into the orb which flashed and enlarged, becoming almost as big as him. With a yell he suddenly shoved it forward, firing it off with another burst of his ki towards her.

The green-haired woman focused her ki into her arms and crossed them in front of her, ducking her head down for better protection. She watched the incoming blast, her eyes narrowed as drops of sweat dripped down the sides of her face. She could take it! She COULD!

The blast was only a few feet from her when Zether suddenly appeared beside her. She looked over at him in surprise and his elbow crashed into her temple, sending her flying sideways.

Zether turned to the blast, but he had no time to shield himself against it…

His eyes narrowed. "Damn woman…"

It slammed into him and exploded violently, debris and smoke rising rapidly into the atmosphere, and a shockwave erupting outwards in all directions that slammed everyone within the vicinity and knocked them all from their feet.

Amotto tumbled through the air from the wave and then slammed face-first into the ground and was motionless. She was unconscious…

_**DBZ**_

Falmer watched the destruction with malevolent glee shining from his eyes. Chunks of rock rained down and the smoke billowed around him. So far, there was no sign of his brother. And that just made him grin.

_Zether…no….!_

His eyes narrowed and he looked around. Who had said that? He scanned the area around him, his eyes trying to pierce through the smoke that was slowly beginning to dissipate. He was _sure_ he had heard someone. But who could it have been?

_You have to stop this! Come on Falmer! Get it together!_

He spun around, his eyes wide as he looked here and there for the source of the voice. It took him a few seconds longer to realize that he hadn't actually heard anything. He froze as the realization struck him that the voice he was hearing was coming from inside his own head. He narrowed his eyes and frowned. But before he could consider it any longer, movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and looked sharply to where Zether was struggling to pull himself out of a crater, his armor barely clinging to his body and his underarmor all-but destroyed. His arms, legs, and face were bloodied from the attack and his hair was golden once more.

The Beast grinned, completely forgetting about the voice as he lunged straight up into the air, and dropped heavily into the sand in front of the struggling Gylderian.

"I TOLD you I would win!"

Zether cringed and looked up at his brother with a faint smile. "S-so…you d-did. I c-call…inter-f-ference, th-though."

"Not my problem." Falmer extended a hand down towards him and black ki swirled and within seconds an orb was growing in his palm. "Now _die._"

"Falmer!"

He glanced around and spotted Diamond standing about ten feet away, glaring at him with her fists clenched tight at her sides. He blinked in surprise and then grinned at her.

"And what, exactly, do YOU hope to do against me?"

Diamond swallowed and held her head high. "I cannot allow you to hurt anyone else. As my husband you are _my_ responsibility!" She stepped back into a stance, her gaze unwavering. But her raised fists were visibly shaking.

The black orb vanished and Falmer threw his head back and laughed out loud. "You insignificant little bug! You stand no chance against me!" He turned to face her, practically forgetting about Zether lying helpless at his feet.

"I'll break you in two, woman," he sneered as he started towards her.

"Yes, The Beast can break me in two. But not Falmer."

"You don't understand, bitch. I _am_ Falmer!" He suddenly lunged at her, blurring out of sight as he brought his fist around towards her face.

Diamond never moved and Falmer was suddenly frozen in place, his fist hovering inches from her dull silver face. His eyes went wide as he stared at his motionless arm.

"What?!" He drew his fist back and shifted to thrust his leg out, but again it stopped inches from hitting her. He stood up and glared at her in frustration. "This. Is. IMPOSSIBLE!"

He suddenly lunged forward and launched into a serious of rapid-fire attacks, but none ever reached her. His strikes would stop just a few inches from hitting her every time.

Diamond just stared in surprise at the blur of motion that never did any harm to her. Was it the real Falmer keeping The Beast from hurting her? Was this proof that he was still in there and still aware of what was going on?

Falmer finally stopped his relentless attack and stood before Diamond, his chest heaving as he drew in heavy breath after heavy breath. Why couldn't he strike her?! With a cry of frustration he suddenly brought both hands and fired a blast at her, point blank.

Just before striking her the blast suddenly split in two, and the two beams veered away from her and vanished into the distance, exploding miles away. The Beast's eyes were wide as he stared at the young woman in stunned silence.

_NO! _

He suddenly clapped both hands to the sides of his head and closed his eyes tight as a roar of noise shot through his skull, resounding in an all-encompassing roar. Pain followed soon after and he dropped to his knees and roared at the top of his lungs in agony.

Zether stared on, his eyes wide as he struggled to a sitting position. He glanced over at Diamond to see the woman frozen in surprise, still holding her stance from before. He allowed himself a weak smile as he returned his gaze to his brother. It was looking like Diamond was going to succeed where he had failed…

_**{How can you see into my eyes, like open doors…?}**_

Falmer suddenly doubled over, his forehead touching the ground as he roared again. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Diamond jerked in surprise and straightened up, taking an involuntary step towards her husband.

"Falmer…?"

_**{Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb…}**_

"STAY BACK!" he suddenly cried, throwing a hand up to stall her. "STAY BACK!" he repeated, his eyes lifting to glare at her. They slowly flashed between black and luminescent red, while his hair faded back and forth between black and white. His burnt-red skin shifted back and forth to dull silver.

"Falmer…please…" Diamond whispered to him as she drew closer.

"NO!" He stood up and backed away, his form continuing to shift between his normal state and The Beast state.

_**{Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold…}**_

"Falmer, come back to me!"

_**{Until you find it there and lead it back home…}**_

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!" The Beast threw his head back again and roared to the sky, his black aura surging to life and flaring straight up into the sky. It flashed between silver and black, swirling violently in an unstable tornado of power. "NOOOOO! THIS IS MY BODY! I AM THE BEAST! I AM POWER INCARNATE!"

_**{Wake me up! Wake me up inside! I can't wake up! }**_

He suddenly looked down at her and his skin, hair, and eyes stopped shifting, reverting fully to The Beast state.

"NO! You can't stop me! No one can!" He spun around and made to lunge towards Zether, his hand drawn back and charging up his ki.

Diamond's eyes widened and she phased out of sight, reappearing as quick as she could in front of her brother-in-law, her arms outstretched as she blocked Falmer's path. "No! Falmer stop this!"

The Beast froze in place again, his eyes wide in what appeared to be fear. They began to flash again, his aura shifting once more from black to silver.

_**{Save me! Call my name and save me from the dark…}**_

He shook his head violently; his aura and eyes reverting back once more. "NO! Stop it! Damn it, STOP IT!" He spun around his eyes searching for something, anything, that he could wreak havoc on. They leveled on Broco and Berik and he grinned gleefully. His aura surged and he sprang forward with an explosion of sand in his wake.

_**{Wake me up! Bid my blood to run!}**_

Diamond appeared before him again and he skid to a stop a few feet from her, his eyes wide with obvious fear. "No! Leave me alone! I AM THE BEAST! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING TO ME!"

_**{I can't wake up! Before I come undone!}**_

He spun around again, looking frantically for something to destroy! He spotted Amotto still lying unconscious and took of sprinting towards her, nearly blurring out of sight. His mind was chaotic, his thoughts racing. His power was dropping with each passing second and it was driving him mad.

_**{Save me! Save me from the nothing I have become!}**_

He was almost on top of her when Diamond appeared again, this time driving her fist into his face as hard as she could. His head snapped back, his feet shooting out from under him and his aura vanishing with a loud crack. He landed on his back in the sand with Diamond looking down at him.

_**{Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me.}**_

While he was still stunned, she knelt down beside him. She cradled his face between her hands and looked right into his black eyes. "Falmer…I love you. Please…_please_ come back to me…"

His eyes widened and she bent down and pressed her lips to his…

_**{Breathe into me and make me real…Bring me to life…}**_

He jerked his head away and shoved her back, scrambling backwards through the sand as his body began to flash uncontrollably. "No! You can't do this to me! Who the hell are you?!"

He sprang to his feet, his aura alighting as he took off. He came to an abrupt stop as she appeared in front of him again. "STOP THAT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

_**{**_ _**Wake me up! Wake me up inside! I can't wake up! Wake me up inside!}**_

Diamond narrowed her eyes, her gaze firm as she stared at him. "Falmer. I am Diamond and I am your _wife!_ Come back to me!"

_** {Save me! Call my name and save me from the dark!}**_

"_Please_!"

His hair brightened until it was white and he hovered away from her a bit. His eyes flashed briefly, but shifted back to black and remained that way. They narrowed and he growled at her. "Bitch! Leave. Me. Alone!"

"No!" she said as forcefully as she could. She was having an effect on him and she was not going to let up until Falmer was himself once again. "You will come back!"

"Gods DAMN IT WOMAN!" He thrust his hand forward and a shockwave rocked her backwards, sending her tumbling through the sky. It wasn't anything that could've hurt her, but it certainly knocked the wind out of her.

The Beast spun around in mid-air and shot towards Zether, his speed reduced to less than half of what it had been. His hair suddenly shifted back to black and he sped up, but he was still nowhere near where he had been. He had to kill! It was the only way to bring himself back to his senses!

_**{Wake me up! Bid my blood to run! I can't wake up! Before I come undone!}**_

But, yet again, Diamond suddenly appeared in front of him, cutting him off. He came to an abrupt halt and he stared at her, his eyes wide. It was…it was baffling! To think that with his awesome power, this insignificant _nothing_ was outrunning him! Was stopping him at every turn!

He narrowed his eyes and ground his teeth together. He had to kill her. It was the only way!

_NO! You will not harm _MY WIFE!

_**{Save me! Save me from the nothing I've become!}**_

His hands clapped to the sides of his head again, his eyes closing tightly and he doubled over, suddenly dropping out of the sky to land on his knees in the sand. That voice! It was stronger than before! And the pain, oh the pain…He could barely stand it! He had to get a grip. He had to control it!

_**{I've been living a lie! There's nothing inside! Bring me to life!}**_

He opened his eyes and looked up to see Diamond kneeling before him, her eyes filled with concern. He growled and lashed out instinctively, the back of his hand striking against her face and sending her sailing backwards.

_NOOOOOOO! DIAMOND!_

The voice rang even louder than before and he was doubled over once more, his eyes closed tight as red and white flashed behind his eyelids. His head swam as a tidal wave of anger suddenly rushed over him from out of nowhere.

"What is happening TO ME?!" he threw his head back and roared again, struggling to contain whatever was trying to rise up within him.

_** {Frozen inside without your touch…}**_

_Diamond! _The voice was getting stronger. _I'm coming! Hold on!_

_**{Without your love, darling…}**_

"NO! Get out of my head!"

_FUCK YOU! _YOU _get out of _MY _head!_

_**{Only you are the life among the dead!}**_

"GODS DAMN IT!" His aura exploded to life, but without the power and force it had had before, and he sprang into the air and shot towards the stunned Broco and Berik. "Someone DIE!"

_NOT TODAY!_

And suddenly, as if he had been struck from the side, The Beast's head snapped sideways and he went crashing into the ground, sand flying out in all directions as he slid for what seemed an eternity.

_**{All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see!}**_

He laid motionless, face-down in the sand, as his black hair slowly brightened until it was white. He rolled himself onto his back and his eyes shot open wide.

_**{Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me!}**_

His eyes shifted until they were a bright luminescent red, seeming to glow in an almost pink hue.

_**{I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems!}**_

His burnt-red skin faded to a pale white…before suddenly becoming dull silver. His aura suddenly alighted, burning black with flashes of silver appearing sporadically.

_**{Got to open my eyes to everything!}**_

"NO!" He was on his feet in a flash and his skin slowly, with some difficulty, turned back to that burnt-red color. His hair shifted colors, but it didn't become completely black. Instead it was mostly white with random streaks of black that didn't seem to quite run the short length of his hair. One eye stayed luminescent red while the other reverted back to black.

_**{Without thought, without voice, without a soul…}**_

_You're fighting a losing battle, Beast…_The voice sounded taunting now. It was stronger and much more confident than it had been before. The Beast growled and narrowed his eyes, his brow furrowing as the other eye shifted very difficultly back to black.

"That's what _you_ think!"

_That's what I _know!

_**{Don't let me die here…There must be something more…}**_

Diamond appeared in front of him, a bruise marring her silver skin. "Abuse me all you want, Beast. I will NEVER give up on my Falmer!"

_A losing battle, Beast…_

The Beast growled and then roared out, his aura alighting with extreme intensity as he did, "SSSHHHHUUUUUTTTT UUUUPPPPPPP!"

Diamond closed her eyes against the sand that was blown her way, but was otherwise unmoved by the power emanating from her husband's body.

_**{Bring me to life!}**_

_You lose…_

"You lose, Beast…" Falmer whispered, his voice reverting from the raspy tone of The Beast, to his own normal tone.

Diamond opened her eyes in surprise and looked upon her husband as he suddenly dropped wearily to his knees, his hair becoming completely white, his skin dull silver, and his eyes red. The luminescence was dim, but it was there. His aura, still burning idly around his body, became silver…

_**{I've been living a lie…}**_

She rushed to him and dropped to his side as he tipped sideways, his eyes closing heavily.

"Falmer!" She embraced him tightly, tears filling her luminescent blue eyes.

Without opening his eyes he smiled weakly up to her. "Diamond…"

_**{There's nothing inside…}**_

Zether limped over to them and looked down at them with a grin on his bloodied face. "Welcome back, brother."

Falmer opened his eyes slightly and glanced at his younger brother. "You, too…Dead man." He grinned and closed his eyes again, slipping instantly into unconsciousness.

_**{Bring me to life…}**_

Zether sank heavily into the sand beside them, still grinning. "Now, I wonder how he knew I died."

Diamond smiled down at her husband as her tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I do not care. My Falmer is back. That is all I care about…"

_**DBZ**_

_**(I know, I know. No, Turles didn't actually kill everyone. And yes, I know that I didn't italicize the vision like I have in the past, but I wanted it to be vague and for it to not seem like a vision until it was actually revealed that it was. Confusing, I know. But I wanted to have some fun. Lol I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter! As always, thanks for reading and reviews would kick ass!)**_


	26. Broken Road

_**Chapter Twenty-Six: Broken Road**_

"_Disgraced, and ashamed  
__Afraid to walk the line...again  
__Controlled for too many years  
__But never once forgiven...for my sins  
__And I never thought I'd say  
__That I'm weaker today than I was yesterday…oh man  
__But I'll fight as I always fight  
__With what's inside of me…  
__This warrior spirit inside of me!"_

_**Broken Road-Sully Erna**_

_**DBZ**_

Broco knelt down beside Amotto and turned her unconscious form over…He blinked in surprise, though, when he saw her eyes open and staring blankly past him.

"You're conscious?" he exclaimed.

She glanced at him and shrugged. "Yeah. Long enough to know what just happened." She looked away and scoffed. "A weak Gylderian defeated my opponent. How weak does that make me look?" she asked quietly.

Broco sighed. "Amotto, strength isn't everything."

"Lack of strength is what almost killed me, Broco!" she said forcefully, her gaze returning to him in a glare.

"What the hell is your problem, Amotto?" he suddenly demanded in irritation. "Since when does strength matter? You were beat by Frieza, so what? Seripa and Bardock were, too. Tettuce was killed by him. Frieza is a monster with power to match! Why are you so bothered by the fact that he beat _you_?"

She sat up and glared into his single eye. "I'm tired of being a helpless liability!" She stood up then and stalked away from him, heading away from everyone else.

Broco stood up and stared after her, his concern visible on his bearded face.

Berik came to stand beside him. "She cannot get over it, can she?"

"Apparently not," the Saiyan male sighed.

"It is not surprising. For as long as she was unconscious that was probably all she dreamed about. There is no telling just how many times she relived the torture that Frieza put her through. It is very possible that she is traumatized by what happened. The poor woman."

Broco looked at the Jynn-jin scientist in silence. He hadn't thought about that. What if she was traumatized by what had happened to her? To the point that she wanted to grow strong enough so that it never happened again? It was possible…This Amotto wasn't the Amotto he was used to. He was glad she was back, but…

He frowned and looked down.

Was it a good thing that she had changed? She had been extremely timid before, reluctant to dive into battle. This new Amotto didn't have that reluctance. It was looking like she couldn't get enough battle…

He looked up and back at her retreating form. She was still walking away, heading steadily further away from the group.

Berik followed his gaze. "She most likely needs some time to herself. But…it probably would not hurt if you went after her. Maybe talk to her. I think that is what she needs more than anything, whether or not she'll admit it."

Broco glanced at him again and nodded slightly. "Right. We'll be back in a bit." He took off at a slow jog to catch up to her.

The Jynn-jin scientist stared after them a moment and then turned to where Diamond, Falmer, and Zether were. He made his way slowly over to them.

_**DBZ**_

Falmer stifled a yawn and glanced at Zether with a grimace. "I cannot believe that it was me that did that to you. It just does not seem possible."

Zether grinned and winced, lifting a hand to massage his shoulder. "Believe it, bro. The Beast is an incredibly powerful transformation. Not as powerful as the Kin Slayer state, of course," he finished with a wink.

"Yes, I am curious about that." Falmer frowned and gave his brother an odd look. "When did you attain that transformation? I never knew about it."

Zether shrugged. "No one did. I didn't want to tell anyone because of the implications. But I transformed for the first time while on my Writ of Passage. I found…well," he frowned pulled at his beard. "It's hard to explain, but while I was meditating one day I discovered a 'switch,' so to speak, that I could turn on within my mind. It took weeks to figure out exactly how to do it, but once I did it was almost catastrophic. I became The Beast and I was a monster for what seemed an eternity." He sighed and shook his head. "The only reason I was able to overcome it was because I stayed at least partially conscious throughout the ordeal. You, on the other hand, were unconscious when you changed. So your mind was still asleep the whole time. As the days progressed I kept telling myself that I didn't want to become a harbinger of death and destruction. Eventually my primitive mind awoke completely and I ascended almost instantly."

"So why did I not ascend?" Falmer asked, his frown still in place.

Zether shrugged again. "You weren't trying to overcome the state. You wanted out of it completely. I guess that's why. I don't really know, to be honest. But seems logical enough."

"Hm…Yes." Falmer looked down as he thought it over. It did seem logical. He _had_ wanted to just leave the transformation behind and be himself once more. Being The Beast was far too barbaric for him.

"It does not matter, Falmer," Diamond said with a smile as she lifted a hand to touch his cheek. "You are back with us and that is all that matters."

He lifted his gaze and looked at her with a smile. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes, that is correct. I have you to thank for that, too, my dear."

She grinned and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "You saved my life on Jynn-jin 13. Bringing you back to me was the least I could do."

Zether chuckled. "That's touching and all, but now that everything has settled down we have another problem to deal with."

Falmer turned to his brother and raised his eyebrows. "And what, pray tell, would that be?"

"I came here in a spacepod and your ship is in ruins," he said as he gestured around at the debris scattered all around them.

Falmer looked around with a grimace. "Yes, I see your point. It is a bit of a dilemma we find ourselves in, isn't it?"

"That goes without saying."

"Could you not send for help, Zether?" asked Diamond.

"Yeah, I could. But Frieza and his goons are still out there. They could intercept the transmission and then we'd really be screwed." He shook his head regretfully. "We can't take that chance."

"Well, you could fly up to space and steal a ship that you encounter. With luck it may be an Ice-jin ship."

Zether tilted his head as he regarded his sister-in-law. "That's not a bad idea, but I'm in no shape to be getting into any fights."

"Hm…I could do it," ventured Falmer. "Aside from being a bit fatigued, I am perfectly fine. It would not be an issue for me."

"You could," agreed Zether. "But what if it's an innocent passerby? I don't do so well with guilt," he said with a laugh.

Falmer grinned and scratched the back of his neck. "Neither do I, to be honest. On another note, while I am thinking about it, how in the names of the gods are you alive?"

Zether grinned and leaned back, placing his hands on the ground behind him. "That, brother, is a very good question." And he proceeded to recant his unbelievable tale of revival.

When he was done, Falmer and Diamond were staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. "Is such a thing possible?" asked Falmer in amazement.

"Apparently so." Zether shrugged. "What gets me, though, is that they wouldn't agree to bring Tettuce back, too." He closed his eyes with a sigh and shook his head. "He was much stronger than me. He could've done way more good than I'll be able to do."

Falmer sighed and nodded in agreement. "Yes, Tettuce would have been a great asset. But you cannot deny that their reasoning was sound. He did have a rather unfortunately violent past. There would have been no way for them to justify bringing him back without also bringing back his victims."

"I understand that, but they also brought Bardock back. Whether or not the bastard can see the future is beside the point," he said heatedly. "Bardock holds a record for most life taken in the past fifteen years. The bastard is too damn good at killing and he's done a hell of a lot of it."

"Zether, I know that you do not like the man—"

"No, I don't like murderers."

"—But that does not change the fact that he was chosen by beings with rules higher than ours. Their reasons are not to be questioned. And by your reasoning, you should not have liked Tettuce," Falmer pointed out.

"That was different. Tettuce made a point to change his ways and avoided taking life whenever possible. Bardock didn't decide to change his ways until after Frieza destroyed his planet. In fact, I'm not entirely convinced he's changed his ways. I think he's only out for revenge."

Falmer offered a slight smile. "I agree that he is seeking vengeance against the tyrant, but I do firmly believe that he is sincere in changing his ways. Whether you accept it or not, Bardock is a good man."

Zether shook his head. "I doubt that. He's a Saiyan warrior, born and raised under Frieza's rule, who's known only how to cause death and destruction. It's normal for him. Tettuce, at least, had Turpin to help him differentiate between what was right and wrong. Yes, he chose to do wrong at first. But Tettuce changed his ways _before_ Frieza decided to destroy _Vegeta._ Bardock—"

"Decided to change his ways before Frieza destroyed his people, too. Did you not know that he stood before Frieza before the tyrant destroyed _Vegeta_?"

Zether rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know all about that."

"Are you saying that that does not count?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Falmer laughed and shook his head slowly. "Zether, what do you _really_ have against the man? It is beginning to sound to me that you are jealous of Bardock."

Zether jerked his attention sharply to his brother and winced and grabbed his shoulder. "Jealous? Are you kidding me? Why the hell would I be jealous of him?"

"He is more famous than you?"

Zether's golden skin suddenly turned orange as he flushed. "That's ridiculous!"

Falmer laughed. "Ridiculous or not, I do believe I have found why you dislike him so!"

"Hey, screw you Falmer! I'm jealous of no one in this universe!"

Diamond grinned. "I think Falmer is right, Zether. You are, or were, one of the most famous people in the universe. But Bardock was spoken of quite a bit more than you were."

Zether folded his arms across his chest and turned his back to both of them. "Whatever. I'm not jealous." But he couldn't sound confident enough to convince even himself. He closed his eyes, hung his head, and sighed. "Damn it…"

_**DBZ**_

Zarbon sat at a desk in the dark and quiet of his quarters, his thoughts clouded. In front of him rested a portable transmission console, the screen of which was black. One hand rested on top of the desk, his fingers drumming slowly, but impatiently.

_Hurry it up,_ he thought to himself. He was awaiting a call from someone who claimed to be an ally. Someone that was next in line to become a member of the Ginyu Force, which was why Zarbon desired this man as an ally. He would have much more pull than he had.

The screen suddenly lit up and Zarbon leaned forward as the red-skinned face of an alien with a mass of white hair instantly appeared.

"About time, Jeice," Zarbon muttered in irritation.

Jeice grinned and tossed his hair like a woman, which annoyed Zarbon. _"It's not easy taking time for myself between missions and training with the Ginyu Force. You're lucky I was able to call at all."_

"Whatever. Well? What can you tell me?" Zarbon asked, changing the subject.

Jeice's grin faded and he glanced around quickly. _"The channels are buzzing, Zarbon. Apparently Coola's Armored Squadron has a group cornered on some desolate planet. They're getting ready to destroy them. From what I've intercepted there are three Gylderians, one Jynn-jin, and two Saiyans. That's about all I can tell you about that. But…"_ he trailed off and looked into the screen. _"Frieza has decided to keep at least three Saiyans alive. Prince Vegeta, his bodyguard Nappa, and a runt cadet named Raditz. Who, apparently, is the son of Bardock," _he finished with a slight grin.

"Really?" Zarbon frowned. "Does Frieza know this?"

_"Oh yeah. He does. Major Ginyu was talking about it with Recoome the other day. Apparently Frieza has this plan to keep the boy as weak as possible compared to his father. Kind of a joke to Bardock's legacy."_

"Well, that's pointless."

_"This is Frieza we're talking about."_

Zarbon sighed. "Fair enough. Well, can you tell me anything else?"

_"Hm…Yeah. There is one more thing that you might be interested to know. Ginyu got his hands on some security footage from Celestine Prime that shows Turpin and an unidentified female. Well, it also shows two more Saiyans meeting up with them. Here, one second and I'll transfer the data to you." _Jeice's image vanished and suddenly there was a frozen image of four Saiyans walking down a corridor.

Zarbon held his breath as he leaned closer to the screen in disbelief. The other two Saiyans were Bardock and Seripa! A grin split his lips as the image vanished and Jeice reappeared.

_"You know them?"_

"Yes. Those are the two Saiyans that Frieza believes he killed on Jynn-jin 13: Bardock and Seripa. This is good news for the _Galatic Band_."

_"Really? Why?"_

Zarbon quickly told him about the fight on Jynn-jin 13.

_"Oh wow. So these two came close to beating him?"_

"They hurt him and his pride. That's enough for me. And with the way Saiyans' anatomy works, these two will be much stronger than they were before. I have a feeling that our little resistance movement is going to be rather busy distracting Frieza until these two are ready to fight him again." Zarbon leaned back in his seat feeling elated.

Jeice smiled and nodded his head. _"The _Galactic Band _may just succeed. I have to say, by the way, that I was more than a little surprised to discover that you, of all people, were a part of the _Galactic Band._"_

Zarbon grinned. "A part of it? I started it."

_**DBZ**_

Broco followed along behind Amotto. It seemed that they had been walking for hours at this point, but he knew it had only been about twenty or thirty minutes. But she was still walking and showing no signs of stopping. Every now and then he would hear a string of muttered curses drift back to him. He doubted she even knew that he was following her.

As he followed behind her he couldn't help but think back on everything that had happened to them since that fateful day when their planet was destroyed. His memories were vague, but he remembered being a T.O. aboard a scouting ship when the news came in that Planet Vegeta had been destroyed. He also remembered the distress signal that came in moments later.

His captain had ordered to go to hyperspace and within a few minutes (the distress signal had come from pretty close by) they were landing on a nearly demolished planet in time to help fight off a group of Frieza's cronies from killing a small band of his brethren. They, too, had been aboard a scouting ship but were shot down.

During the fighting he had actually saved Amotto's life, but didn't think much of it at the time. Mostly due to the fact that both of their ships had been destroyed. So the fight turned from a battle for survival to a battle for the Ice-jin ship. His captain had died and almost immediately the traitor Caul had declared his leadership and led them through the rest of the battle.

Still lost in thought he never noticed Amotto suddenly stop until he almost ran into her. He stumbled back from her as she looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes set in a fierce and angry glare. It was made all the fiercer by the horizontal scar running across her nose below her eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"I…" he faltered and looked away. After a moment he looked at her again, but she was facing forward again, staring at the dusty horizon. He sighed. "Amotto, look…"

"Save it, Broco. You just don't understand." She sighed and lowered her head with a slight shake.

Broco frowned. "That's not true, Amotto. I _do_ understand. I understand better than you think."

She lifted her head and turned to look at him. "You do?" She scoffed. "I doubt that. Before all this you were about as much of a warrior as I was. So don't tell me you understand, because you don't. Plain and simple."

"You don't know anything about me, Amotto. I do understand because I feel the exact same way. Only I was a warrior once. I did the exact same job that Seripa and Bardock used to do. And I was very good at it."

She arched an eyebrow as she regarded him in silence for a moment. She suddenly found herself staring at the scar where his eye used to be. "Is that how that happened? True warriors don't get hurt, Broco."

He suddenly smirked and narrowed his good eye. "That's true. But arrogant warriors do get hurt when they get too full of themselves."

She scoffed again and turned her back to him. "Yeah right. Broco, you were never a warrior."

Suddenly Broco had had enough of her attitude. He lunged forward and grabbed her arm and spun her around. Both hands grasping her shoulders as tight as he could he glared down at her as he suddenly crushed his bearded lips against hers, which caught her off guard.

He pulled away and held her at arm's length, still glaring. "I was a warrior, Amotto. A long time ago. My twin brother and I were on the same team. We both reveled in the thrill of battle and we loved to kill. And we were damn good at it. At a young age we both displayed tremendous talent and strength and were enlisted into Frieza's military at the age of 13. We fought and grew stronger with each battle, constantly watching out for one another. We were never significantly injured. Not enough to deter us from battle."

Amotto opened her mouth to say something, but Broco shook her and continued speaking. "One day that all changed. We took a mission that we knew was too difficult for us. But by this time we had grown far too arrogant. We were around Turles' age when it happened. The battle started out fine, but before we knew it we were being overwhelmed. We watched our teammates die around us, one by one, until it was just Carot and me left. Back to back we fought, killing as many enemies as we could. This went on for hours…"

He closed his eye and lowered his head, his shoulders trembling at this point.

Amotto just stared at him with wide eyes.

"Finally we had had enough. We could barely keep going. I called for backup and when I did, one of the aliens fired a blast right at my scouter taking it, and my eye, out. Half blinded and wounded I was suddenly overrun. Just when I thought my time was up, Carot came to my aid…He jumped in front of me just as I was about to be run through with one of the aliens' primitive, but powerful, beam weapons."

He looked up, his single eye showing a past that still haunted him. "I watched my brother die before my eyes because of the arrogance we had held. Because of our quest for even greater power he died saving my life."

Broco let go of her shoulders and stepped back. "After that I don't know what happened. The next memory I have is waking up back on _Vegeta_ in a rejuvenation chamber…and remembering immediately that Carot was dead. After that I couldn't fight anymore…" He shook his head slowly. "I couldn't stand the violence anymore. The senseless violence." A shudder ran through his body and he leveled his one-eyed gaze on her. "I was a warrior. I can relate to that feeling of weakness. For the first time in over a decade I am feeling it again. I feel now as I did when my brother was killed: helpless. I am weak and I am having a hard time accepting that fact. I want to help in this war, but the fact remains that the fighting is just beyond my level. Frieza is far too powerful. The Ginyu Force is far too powerful. I want to help, but I can't allow myself to be overcome with that feeling of helplessness. I can't allow my judgment to be clouded and jump headlong into a fight that I know I cannot win.

"Which is exactly what _you_ are doing, Amotto. Granted you are much more powerful than you were before, the fact remains that you still are not powerful enough to fight Frieza. You should have accepted that you could not fight Falmer. You _need_ to accept that there are forces out there that are far more powerful than us. I don't want to see you get yourself killed, Amotto." He offered up a slight, sad smile. "You're smarter than that…"

_**DBZ**_

Amotto stared up at him in silent wonder, listening in rapt attention to his history. Even through all the hours that they had talked while in captivity, she had never before heard this story. He had made mention of his brother before, but she had assumed that he had died when _Vegeta_ was destroyed. This certainly explained a lot about the rather mysterious Broco. She knew him, but she was realizing very quickly that she didn't really _know_ him.

She frowned and turned away from him, absently lifting a hand to chew idly on her thumb as she thought. She considered his words. She thought of Seripa's reluctance to take on the role of leader. She thought of the woman's lack of hesitation when she dove into battle. Was that due to confidence and arrogance?

She thought of when Seripa sent her away from the battlefield when Tettuce had lost his mind. She recalled the hopeless look she had seen in her friend's eyes and she realized that Seripa hadn't fought that day because of confidence or arrogance or to try and prove a point. Initially, yes, she may have been extremely overconfident.

But that wasn't what had been driving her. Seripa was a true warrior. She had seen countless battles while Amotto had seen only the ones she'd been involved in the last year or so. Seripa knew how to strategize and use her head while fighting. It was, after all, how she had been able to fight against Turles even though he far outclassed her as far as strength went.

She dropped her hand to her side and tilted her head as she closed her eyes. She had never been a fighter before. The scar across her face, while many assumed it was from battle, had actually been given to her by her father when she had flunked out of the Placement Trials. She had embarrassed him by being a weakling and not showing any sort of battle prowess at all.

Her eyes opened slowly. How she remembered that day all too well. His anger and violence exploding on her after she had delivered the news. How he had slapped her with his ki-charged hand, slicing her face open. And how she had left home and enlisted with the Technicians of the Saiyan Military, while her brothers and older sister went on to make their father proud by being enlisted with Frieza's Military.

She scoffed as she recalled the pride one should have had to be a member of Frieza's Military. Compared to his, the Saiyan Military was a joke. All they really did was fly around space and scout out potential planets for the tyrant's military to come in and clean out. But she had enjoyed it because it kept her out of fighting and allowed her to further her intelligence. That had been what she loved. She didn't enjoy fighting as most Saiyans did, but she did enjoy using her head to solve problems. She had always been using the ship's computer during her off time to learn interesting, albeit random, facts about the universe.

Amotto narrowed her eyes and looked down as she suddenly felt disgust for herself. Because of one near-death experience she had become just like her father. Almost over-night she had gone from not desiring strength to despising the weak. Broco was right…Strength wasn't everything and it certainly wasn't worth letting herself change into something she was not. She had allowed herself to become blinded by her new power and the primal urge every Saiyan had to be the best and the strongest.

No, she couldn't let herself become her father. She turned to Broco and looked up at him solemnly, taking a slow and deep breath.

He met her gaze unwaveringly, the darkness she had never before noticed still lingering in his single eye. She exhaled and a slow smile crept onto her face.

Broco's eye flickered to look behind her and it widened. He made a movement to shove her aside. She stumbled to the side and watched in stunned surprise as a purple beam pierced him in the center of his chest, and exploded from his back. She caught her balance and stared on as Broco was taken from his feet by the beam.

She watched as he landed on his back with a cry of pain.

"Broco!" she exclaimed and rushed towards him. She crouched at his side and he turned his eye to look up at her. It was already growing dim.

"A…mo…t-to…" A weak smile flashed from behind his thick beard. "I…l-l…"

"Broco…?" she ventured as his eye rolled into the back of his head and his chest stopped in mid-rise. She stared down at him with wide eyes. Disbelief clouded her mind. How could this happen?

Laughter sounded from behind her and she lifted her head in surprise. She turned her head to glance over her shoulder and she saw three aliens grouped together laughing at her. One of them, a blue alien with blonde hair, had his finger held out pointing to where Broco had been standing. She barely gave any notice to the ship hovering silently above them.

So it was him! Her eyes narrowed and she slowly stood up, turning once more to look down at Broco's still form.

"Look at that, Sauza! The female's so scared she can't face us!" declared the big ugly green alien.

"Sure looks that way, Doore," Sauza said with a grin.

"Yeah! Yeah!" said the orange one excitedly. "One Saiyan down! One to go!"

Amotto closed her eyes and clenched her fists tight at her sides. She could feel her power surging from out of nowhere. The barrier she had tried to breach before was cracking and immense power was gradually filling her body. Her tightly balled-up fists were beginning to tremble at her sides, her teeth gritting together. She tried to calm her mind and focus, but the anger from before, combined with the anger she'd felt for herself, combined with the anger she was now feeling…

Tidal waves of anger crashed through her psyche and she slowly and deliberately turned to face the three aliens.

They resumed their laughing and she slowly opened her eyes.

Their laughter ceased and they all stared in surprise at her eyes.

They were green.

"Whoa…" said Doore. "Look at that. A Saiyan with green eyes. That's kinda cool."

"Different for sure," remarked Sauza. "She must be considered an oddity."

Amotto suddenly threw her arms out and her head back, a shockwave of pure power emanating outwards in all directions from her body blowing the three aliens from their feet; her mouth wide open and her eyes closed as she roared in anger and anguish at the top of her lungs, a massive golden aura instantly appearing around her body like the flames of an out of control blaze…

_**DBZ**_

Falmer spun in place and stared wide-eyed in the direction that he'd seen Broco and Amotto head earlier. "What in the name of the gods is _that_?"

Diamond stared along with him, her own eyes wide. "It feels…it feels like Amotto!"

Zether gathered himself to his feet and limped over to stand beside them, his own eyes narrowed slightly.

"I've felt something similar to this before," he murmured quietly.

His brother and Diamond turned to look at him curiously.

"Where?" Falmer asked.

"Jynn-jin 13. When Tettuce lost his sanity…"

Berik, standing off to the side, jerked his attention to the long-haired Gylderian.

Falmer blinked in discomfort before turning his attention back to the source of the power. He swallowed as he hoped that Amotto wasn't planning on using this new power on him…

_**DBZ**_

_** (Individual Lies here. I'm on a roll! And now that I've said something about it, the next chapter is going to take ten years to finish. Lol Just kidding, of course. Everything is progressing smoothly and I'm having a ton of ideas again. They're all geared towards finishing this story, though, so it will still be soon. Maybe not within the next few chapters as I'd originally stated a couple chapters back, but it won't be much longer. As always thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!) **_


	27. This Moment

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven: This Moment**_

"_Now you know the answer  
__Save yourself from danger  
__I cannot forget how all of this began  
__I know you know the answers  
__Save yourself from danger  
__Beaten by a stranger  
__Blood still on his hands." _

_**This Moment-Disturbed**_

_**DBZ**_

_One year ago…_

_ Amotto sat in front of the pulsating red laser bars of her cell, her legs folded indian-style beneath her. Her elbow was resting on her knee, and her chin rested in the palm of her hand as she listened to Broco talk. And she was smiling._

_ "These bars are interesting," he was saying. "Simple in design and effectiveness. I'd imagine that without the ki-restrictor holding our powers down, these bars would be more than enough to keep us imprisoned. But these Jynn-jins are very thorough." He looked down from the top of the bars of his cell and looked at her. He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I was rambling."_

_ She held up her other hand and held her index finger and thumb an inch apart from one another. "Just a little bit," she said with a grin. She laughed and stood up, stretching her arms above her head. "Oh! I wish we had more room. I really hate being cramped up in here. How long have we been here, anyway?"_

_ "Hm…" Broco frowned as he considered. "A month? I don't know to be honest. It's hard to keep track of the days." He gestured around with a sigh. "No windows, after all."_

_ Amotto grinned. "Yeah, true." She looked to the cell directly across from hers and grimaced a bit. "Seripa is still unconscious. What the hell did they do to her?"_

_ Broco glanced at the wall with a weary shrug. "I don't know. And when she is conscious she won't speak to any of us. We won't know what's going on until she talks to us." He was silent for a moment as he stared at the wall. He returned his gaze to her and said, "She's still taking what happened hard. She blames herself for what happened. I honestly don't blame her—"_

_ "Broco!" Amotto exclaimed, jerking her attention back to him._

_ He held up a hand with a smile. "But…she can't help what's happened. She did what she thought was best to save us from Frieza. She had no other choice. Had we stayed we all might've died. It is unfortunate that so many lives were lost in the crash, but some of us survived. I _know_ Aurah survived. I saw her before I passed out." He sighed again and shook his head. "I just don't know what happened to her…"_

_ "Maybe she escaped?" suggested Amotto. "I hope she did."_

_ "I do, too." Broco fell silent as he leaned against the wall of his cell. He folded his arms across his chest and sighed wearily. _

_ Amotto stared at him in silence as she resumed her position on the floor. She bit her bottom lip and looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She took a breath and looked up at him again._

_ "Were you mated, Broco?"_

_ He looked at her in surprise, his unscarred eyebrow arched quizzically. "Uh, no. Never."_

_ "Why not?"_

_ He sighed and smiled regretfully. "I'm not the standard Saiyan warrior. Few females would desire someone like me. I don't have the thirst for battle or the pride that is desired by a potential mate."_

_ "I disagree."_

_ He blinked and looked at her again. "Why's that?"_

_ She grinned sheepishly. "I'd be a hypocrite if I said those things were attractive to me, seeing as I don't like fighting and I have very little pride."_

_ Broco smirked and chuckled. "Well, the only two of this group that look like warriors and we're actually not. Isn't that called irony?"_

_ Amotto laughed and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees, and her chin in the palms of her hands. "Appearances aren't everything."_

_ Before Broco could respond a Flazerian appeared between their cells. "Quiet you two!" He banged a fist against the wall and then stalked off in the direction he'd come from._

_ Amotto and Broco stared after him with near identical sour looks._

_ "Hey, fuck you!" Turles called from his cell. "Some people are tryin' to sleep!"_

_ The Flazerian spun around. "Why you…!"_

_ The damage was done. Broco and Amotto were laughing._

_**DBZ**_

Zether couldn't believe what he was feeling. The power that was coming from Amotto was greater than anything he'd ever felt before. It had already surpassed the strength Tettuce had briefly attained and was still skyrocketing. The ground beneath his feet was trembling steadily, and growing ever more violent in its intensity.

A loud wrenching sound drew his eyes down and he saw that the ground was beginning to crack beneath his feet. His eyes widened and he looked towards the horizon; the sky overhead had darkened and the darkness was spreading steadily outwards. Lightning flashed and a vicious wind was beginning to pick up.

On the horizon he could see a golden light growing brighter and brighter.

"I was wrong. This isn't anything like what I felt from Tettuce. This is worse…" He looked around at the others. "Come on!" He took to the air and shot towards the source of the power as fast as his injured body could take him. The others followed as quickly as they could, Berik bringing up the rear.

_**DBZ**_

Bardock was frozen in place, staring in no specific direction. In fact, all four of the Saiyans aboard the ship were frozen as the power they felt was on a steady, seemingly endless, climb. It just kept growing! It was already greater than Tettuce's had been on Jynn-jin 13 and wasn't showing any signs of stopping.

But the question that was on all of their minds was: who the hell was that?

Even Seluri, who could not sense powers, could feel it. It was such an incredible power.

"'Tis a Saiyan…" murmured Turpin in awe. "B't…who's it?"

Bardock glanced down at Seripa who met his gaze. He frowned, furrowing his brow in concentration as he tried to identify the growing power.

"It's not a male…I think…I think it's Amotto."

Seripa's eyes went wide as she gasped. "No! It couldn't be! She couldn't have recovered that quickly!"

Turpin swiveled in his chair to look at his daughter. "Who's th's A-mo-tto?"

"A friend of mine. Frieza literally blew her to pieces, but a Jynn-jin scientist named Berik managed to piece her body back together. But he barely _just_ put her body back together. There's no way it's her!" Seripa exclaimed adamantly.

Turpin frowned and pulled at his beard. "Hm…Sel, rese' da co'rse. We's goin' t' 'vest'gate aft'r all."

Seluri eyed him curiously then nodded and quickly changed the coordinates back to their previous settings.

Bardock looked down at Seripa again to see she had gone pale. "What is it?"

"If it is her…how could it be possible?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head in response. "I don't know, Seripa. But…" he fell silent and frowned again. "This power feels similar to Tettuce's when he slipped away on Jynn-jin 13." He glanced up to Turpin. "Could she be a Super Saiyan?"

Turpin turned to look at Bardock with a frown. "P'ss'bly. Dis p'wa is…" he shook his head slowly. "'Tis gr'at'r den 'nyth'n' ah've eva fel' b'fore. Ah'll b' 'ones…Ah don' know wha' da Supa Saiyan p'wa feels like…"

"And it's still growing…It's massive." Bardock murmured as he looked at Seripa again. If this was the power of a Super Saiyan…he wanted that power, too.

_**DBZ**_

Amotto's short hair was standing on end from the force of her rapidly rising power. Her head was still thrown back and she was still screaming at the sky at the top of her lungs. Her golden aura billowed around her body, burning ever more intensely as her power continued its ascent.

Sauza was on his knees, both arms held over his face to shield him from the force that just seemed to be getting greater. His scouter, as well as his comrades' scouters, had exploded almost instantly once the woman started screaming. He had no idea what she was doing, but he knew that for his high-end scouter to explode her power had to be great. Every time he tried to climb back to his feet, a surge of her power knocked him flat on his ass. His comrades weren't faring any better, either.

Amotto suddenly stopped screaming and doubled over, her eyes closed tight and her teeth clenched together. Her aura stabilized briefly…

But it didn't last as her hair flashed bright and she was straight again, her head thrown back and her mouth wide open as her screams of rage and anguish resumed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAA AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The ground beneath her feet cracked and began to break apart, chunks of rock rising slowly into the air around her. The bigger pieces floated up, cracking apart and exploding into dust. The smaller pieces rose from the ground and exploded almost instantly. Lightning flashed down from the black sky and struck the ground continuously all around her.

And still her power rose, the planet shaking violently. A gale rose up out of nowhere and blew sand high into the air. Dust devils sprang up and broke apart all around the landscape.

As the three members of Coola's Armored Squadron watched, her flashing green hair began to be streaked with gold. Each flash revealed a greater chunk of her spiked hair to be gold.

Amotto was lost to the power. She had tried to contain it, but her anger had overpowered her and broken the barrier she'd felt. Now she was at its mercy. But what she was feeling surging through her body…soon the aliens who had killed Broco would be at _her _mercy.

Not that she had any mercy to show…

And suddenly, with one final pulse of her aura and surge of her power, her hair was completely gold and standing up straight in short spikes…

And her power leveled out. Her aura burned ferociously around her body, but the continuous out-surges had ceased and she was standing in a crater of sand, her arms still held out and her head hanging, her chin almost touching her chest.

The lightning still flashed and struck the ground, but it was decreasing in frequency. Her aura emitted a low, continuous hum that seemed to echo all across the battlefield. Slowly she lowered her arms to her sides, her hands unclenching and relaxing at her sides. She kept her head down and her eyes closed as silence—aside from the hum—descended upon the field.

Sauza, a frown on his dust-covered face, climbed slowly to his feet. Naize and Doore did the same. He glanced at the two of them and then returned his gaze to the still woman.

"What's this mean, Sauza?" asked Doore as he moved to his captain's side.

The blue alien shook his head. "I don't know, Doore. I've never seen, nor heard, about Saiyans doing this before."

Doore looked sharply at Sauza, his eyes suddenly wide. "You don't think this is what they call a Super Saiyan, do you?"

Sauza arched an eyebrow and looked at his comrade in contempt. "Don't be absurd! Super Saiyans don't exist."

"Yeah!" piped up Naize as he came to Sauza's other side. "She's nothing but a pathetic Saiyan! Any one of us could beat her with one hand tied behind our backs! Watch this!"

Sauza and Doore turned their attention to Naize as he suddenly drew a fist back and sprang forward. He shot at Amotto rapidly declaring a battle cry as he did. He thrust his fist towards her unguarded face…

And two gold-enshrouded fingers effortlessly caught his fist and stopped him with a violent jarring. His eyes widened in shock as Amotto slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes to glare at him. Her emerald hues seemed to sparkle as she curled her upper lip back in disgust.

"You pathetic insect…" she whispered.

Naize suddenly vanished and reappeared in almost the same instant, slamming violently back-first into the ground. He shot backwards for hundreds of feet, his momentum leaving a shallow trench in his wake.

Sauza and Doore spun around to follow the movement of their comrade. They watched as he came to a stop and was still. As one they turned back to Amotto to see her hands by her sides and her green-eyed gaze leveled on them.

Sauza's frown reappeared and he glanced at Doore. "This one is going to be tough. She must be pretty damn powerful."

"Are you shitting me?!" Doore exclaimed. He never took his eyes off of Amotto. "We didn't even see her move!"

"So she's fast!" Sauza ground his teeth together and clenched his fists. "That doesn't mean she's stronger than us!"

Naize sat up with a groan, one hand holding his cheek. "Geeze that hurt! That bitch is strong!"

Sauza glanced at the orange alien. "Shut up and get over here!"

Naize blinked and then frowned as he stood up. Grumbling he dusted himself off and walked over to Sauze and Doore. He looked over at Amotto who was still staring at the three of them. He glanced up, though, and pointed.

"Sauza, look! More are coming!"

Sauza looked up and narrowed his eyes at the approaching figures. "Looks like they've come to die, too."

Amotto arched an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at Sauza. "You really think I'll let you kill anyone else?"

He looked back at her and scoffed. "As if you could stop me."

She smirked. "As if _you_ could stop_ me._"

Sauza frowned as he glared at her. "You are an insignificant little Saiyan whore! You stand as much chance against me as your friend did!"

Amotto glanced over her shoulder at Broco's still form and then turned her glare on Sauza again, her smirk gone and replaced with a frown. "I'll make you pay for that."

"Yeah, ri—" Amotto's fist was suddenly imbedded in his cheek and he was sent flying away. She spun and kicked Doore in his neck sending him flying, too. She landed lightly as they both crashed into the ground and she calmly turned to Naize.

The orange alien blinked down at her and took a step back. His eyes were wide in fear as he stared down at her.

She smiled malevolently and lifted one hand, her fingers splayed apart as she aimed her palm at him. "Be gone insect." A golden light flashed forward and engulfed him, vaporizing him instantly in a violent explosion.

He didn't even have time to scream.

Sauza climbed to his feet and looked at the settling dust with wide eyes. "Naize!" He turned his gaze upon Amotto and narrowed his eyes. "You bitch!"

She cut her eyes in his direction and narrowed them again. "Don't worry. You'll be joining him soon enough. But first things first." She vanished and reappeared instantly in front of Doore as he was climbing to his feet.

The big green brute blinked in surprise and took a few steps back as he gaped at her. "N-no!"

She raised her hand and a golden light began to glow in her palm.

"Broco's alive!"

The light vanished as her eyes widened and she spun to look at Berik kneeling at Broco's side. The others were standing around him staring at her, but the scientist had his fingers to the man's neck.

"He's in shock! He needs a rejuvenation chamber quick!"

Time seemed to stand still for her. She looked at the still man and her anger slowly dissipated. She blinked as his words penetrated into her brain…

And her hair was suddenly green and her eyes black. She took off in a sprint, Doore and Sauza forgotten as she rushed to Broco's side.

"He's alive?!" she demanded and she dropped to her knees. Zether, Falmer, and Diamond stepped back from her, their eyes never leaving her.

Berik looked up at her and nodded. "Yes. He is merely in shock. However, he does not have much longer." His eyes glanced up to the ship hovering above them. "He needs a chamber right now." He looked back down to her. "We need that ship."

Amotto narrowed her eyes and nodded. She smirked and stood back up, turning to face Sauza and Doore, both of whom were still frozen in place. "Leave it to me," she declared as she spread her legs and raised her arms to her sides. She lunged at Sauza.

The blue alien thrust his fist forward, catching her right in her nose and sending her crashing back to the ground.

Amotto tumbled backwards before landing on her back and skidding for a few feet. She blinked up in surprise, her eyes staring straight up at the belly of the ship. What the hell had just happened?

Doore looked over at Sauza. "It was definitely some sort of transformation, Sauza. She's not so strong anymore, is she?"

Sauza spat and growled low in his throat. "No, she's not. And I'm going to make her pay for what she did to Naize."

Amotto frowned as she climbed to her feet, rubbing a hand across her face. She looked at her hand and her eyes widened at the sight of blood smeared across her hand. She narrowed her eyes and looked up at Sauza. She had to transform again.

But she had no idea how to.

She closed her eyes and focused on the power she'd felt before, but it had retreated back behind that barrier from before. The barrier was weak, but she had no idea how to penetrate it. She could _feel_ the power, but she couldn't call if forth. _No, no, no! _she thought angrily. Her eyes opened and she glared at Sauza. She needed that power again. Or…she glanced over at Doore suddenly.

"Strength isn't everything," she murmured quietly, remembering Broco's words from before. She cut her eyes across at Sauza and a smile slowly spread across her face. "Okay, then…"

She suddenly shot into the air thrusting both hands forward and rapidly firing off dozens of tiny ki blasts at Doore.

Or, more accurately, _around_ Doore. The exploded and kicked up dust, shrouding him from view. Once he was completely out of sight, she glanced towards Sauza and then, with a tremendous burst of her ki, she flashed down towards and slammed her fist soundly into his cheek.

The blow staggered him, but otherwise did no harm. He looked at her angrily, but she was already flying away at top speed. His eyes widened and he growled in anger.

"Oh! No you don't!" he shot at her, flying right into the dust cloud. A blow to his cheek knocked him sideways, but he quickly recovered. He spun in the direction the blow had come from, squinting his eyes in an effort to see through the dust. "Bitch!"

He saw a shadow just a few feet from him and he grinned. "Gotcha!" He thrust both hands forward and a massive purple blast exploded forward and slammed into her with astounding force, exploding instantly.

"NOOOOO! SAAAUUUZZaaaaaaargghh…!"

Sauza's eyes widened and he canceled the blast, but by then it was too late. The explosion swept the dust away and he stared in horror at Doore's trembling legs; all that was left of the big green alien. They gave a spasm and then collapsed. He stared, frozen in disbelief at the sight before him. He had just been tricked into killing his own teammate!

"How'd you like that?"

He spun around to see Amotto standing a few yards away, her arms folded across her chest. She was smirking at him.

He growled again and raised an arm. Purple ki suddenly enshrouded it and then flashed, pulsating and thinning into a blade made of pure ki. "I'll have your head for that, Saiyan whore!"

"Oh, I doubt that. But bring it on anyway." She laughed and then shot up into the air.

His looked up after her, narrowing his eyes. He sprang up after her, rapidly advancing on her retreating form. "I WILL catch you, bitch!"

She glanced down at him and suddenly spun around so she was flying backwards. "You can try!" Her aura erupted to life, her speed more than doubling, and she flipped around. She angled backwards in a loop and shot past Sauza, who came to an abrupt stop.

He spun around and shot after her as fast as he could, his own purple aura blazing. He drew his ki-enshrouded hand back as he drew closer and closer.

Amotto abruptly spun around and fired a blast into his face. The explosion caught him off guard and sent him tumbling backwards. She grinned, flared her aura again, and shot down to the ground.

_**DBZ**_

Berik hovered up to the ship, Broco cradled gently in his arms. Above him Falmer forced the hatch open and moved aside for Berik to enter. The Jynn-jin scientist quickly checked Broco's pulse again. It was steadily getting fainter and his breathing much more shallow. He had minutes, maybe even less. He glanced at Falmer.

"Should there be opposition awaiting us, I will require your strength to make it to the medical bay."

Falmer nodded and touched down inside the ship. "Do not worry. I can handle any low-level warriors that may await us with ease."

"That is what I am counting on."

Diamond landed behind her husband and glanced over her shoulder at the absurd chase that was taking place. She frowned as she quickly compared Sauza's power to Amotto's and grimaced. The blue alien dwarfed her power with ease. Only his frustration with the Saiyan woman was keeping her alive. She knew it wouldn't be long before he caught her. Amotto needed her incredible power again. And soon.

_**DBZ**_

Ka'bijj focused his senses and searched for that power from before. It had been incredible. Powerful enough to reach him even on the other side of the galaxy.

His eyes narrowed when he realized he could not find it. But he knew the power. He was _very_ familiar with the way it felt. He assumed that since he could no longer felt it that whomever had been generating it had been unable to hold onto the transformation.

A slow smirk spread across his bearded features.

"So. There's more than _one_ Super Saiyan in the universe. Interesting…"

_**DBZ**_

On a tiny planet floating in midst emptiness high above yellow clouds, a man stood beneath a solitary tree. His long hair waved lightly in a soft breeze as his narrowed eyes stared off into empty space, a golden ring hovering above his head. A blood-red cape flapped leisurely as he, too, felt around for the power he had felt.

The power had felt all-too familiar to him. But at the same time it had been different. It had been…whole. He didn't know who had briefly generated the power, but he knew that it had been a Saiyan female. Whether or not it was Seripa was beyond him, but he had hope for the first time in decades that Frieza's end was rapidly approaching.

"Tettuce?"

The man turned and looked down at a squat blue alien with black antenna looking up at him.

"Yes, Kaio-sama?" Tettuce asked.

The alien stared up at him from behind round-rimmed sunglasses. "Have you thought of a joke, yet?"

Tettuce blinked and then sighed. He scratched the back of his neck and shook his head. "No, not yet. Why is that even important, Kaio-sama?"

"I cannot train you until you make me laugh," Kaio-sama stated matter-of-factly.

Tettuce's left eye twitched. "You do realize that I don't require training from you, right? I'm already a hundred times stronger than you."

"You were sent here for a reason, Tettuce. You were sent to be trained. I will train you, but only _after_ you make me laugh."

Tettuce's eye twitched again. "Someone screwed up by sending me here. What do I need training for anyway? I'm dead. It's not going to be doing me any good here. And besides, don't I belong in hell?"

Kaio-sama smiled. "The laws of the Afterlife are complex, Tettuce. Not even I understand them fully. However, I do know this: those that willfully change their ways and do everything in their power to atone for their mistakes are duly rewarded for their efforts. Normally a case such as yours would have been met with ascension to Heaven. What landed you here with me was your self-sacrifice on Jynn-jin 13. You knew that you would die in your efforts, but willingly charged into battle against Frieza and lost your life. In losing your life, you saved the lives of many others. For that you were allowed to keep your body and to come train with me."

Tettuce sighed and shook his head. "I don't deserve to be here. I deserve to be in hell for the things I've done."

"Someone very important disagrees with you. Take that into consideration. You _do_ belong here, whether you believe it or not. And as for the training benefitting you…who knows what else is in store for you?" And with that Kaio-sama turned his back on Tettuce and walked away without another word.

The Saiyan warrior cocked an eyebrow as he stared after Kaio-sama. The soft breeze picked up and, with a smirk, he turned to stare up into the sky.

"What could that mean, I wonder?" His smirk split into a grin as he folded his arms across the breast-plate of his black and red armor.

Sudden inspiration struck him. He turned to Kaio-sama again. "Hey! Kaio-sama!"

The Kaio paused and turned back to the Saiyan. "Yes?"

"Who do Ice-jin's call their coffins?"

Kaio-sama lifted a hand to his chin as he pondered the question. "Hm. I don't know. What _do_ Ice-jin's call their coffins?"

_"Freezers!"_

Kaio-sama stared at Tettuce for a moment.

Then suddenly fell on his back holding his stomach as he roared with laughter.

Tettuce grinned sheepishly. It was such a cheesy joke, but it seemed to have done the trick.

_**DBZ**_

Amotto veered left and then cut right, narrowing avoiding being struck by Sauza's ki-charged arm. She was pushing herself to her limit trying to avoid being sliced in two. But with each passing second Sauza was getting closer and closer to hitting her, and she was getting more and more winded.

Her aura was beginning to flicker as she flew away from him and she was wishing she could re-attain her transformation. Maybe if she had a few minutes to focus on it she would be able to do it, but with Sauza hot on her trail she was having difficulty fathoming that possibility.

A hand suddenly clamped down on her ankle and she looked over her shoulder with wide, fear-stricken eyes as Sauza reared back, ready to slice her in two.

Zether suddenly appeared shrouded in gold and slammed his fist forcefully into Sauza's face, sending the blue alien reeling. Amotto came to a stop and spun to stare at the injured man.

"That was stupid!" she yelled. "You're in no condition to be fighting!"

Zether glanced at her with a cringe. "That goes without saying." He took a breath as his aura faded and looked down to where Sauza landed on his back. "You are, though. I'll hold him off as long as I can. But you have to transform again. I can't beat him. Falmer could if he transformed again, but we can't risk him going insane again.

He cut his eyes towards her. "Can you do it again?"

She frowned and looked down as Sauza sprang to his feet. "I don't know. But I don't think I have much choice. I can't beat him like this…"

"Then focus on transforming again. I've got this for now!" His aura exploded to life and he winced, suddenly breathing heavily. He focused his attention on Sauza as he shot up towards them. "Do it! Now!" He shot down to intercept the blue alien and the two were instantly trading blows; Sauza landing significantly more than Zether was.

Amotto frowned as she watched the exchange, cringing every time Zether took a hit. She took a breath and exhaled slowly as she focused once more on the barrier that held her power in check. She closed her eyes and focused on tapping into it. Her eyebrows knit together as she struggled to reach into the well…

Her eyes shot open as she felt the power suddenly began to flow into her body.

But it vanished as quickly as it had come. She narrowed her eyes and relaxed her body, completely focusing her attention on accessing the power again. But frustration mounted as she found it easier said than done. She HAD to transform again! She just HAD to!

"Gah!"

She looked down to see Zether spread-eagled on the ground, his eyes closed tightly in pain. He was getting his ass handed to him and she was nowhere near transforming again.

"Okay, Amotto," she muttered under her breath. "You can do this. You did it once, you can do it again. So…do it!"

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath and exhaled it slowly. She thought about what had triggered the transformation before and, with a frown, focused on Broco getting shot through the chest. She felt a surge of anger towards Sauza, but knowing that Broco was alive hindered her rage. He was hurt, but he wasn't dead.

Yet.

Her frown deepened as she concentrated solely on that. If she didn't transform again then everyone would be killed. Sauza out-classed them by far. If Zether hadn't gotten injured saving her sorry ass then he'd easily have the power to beat him.

But he didn't. And it was her fault.

Her power spiked.

She had gotten in his way and he had been injured severely, his ki dropping sharply as a result. He barely had enough to fight with, let alone transform again. He was handicapped.

And it was _her_ fault.

Her frustration built up.

The sound of an explosion caught her attention, but she kept her eyes closed. Zether was getting killed and _it was all her fault!_

Her anger surged. Her anger towards Sauza; her anger towards herself for messing up; her anger towards herself for being unable to do anything to make up for it. Why couldn't she transform?!

Her anger turned to rage and her muscles tensed as she fought to tap into her power. She knew she could do it! She'd already done it once! Why wasn't she accessing it?!

"Gods damn it!" she screamed at the top of her lungs suddenly. She was genuinely getting pissed at herself for not being able to transform. It was up to her to kill Sauza and she was letting everyone down!

"Damn it!"

Her eyes shot open and she looked down just in time to see a massive ki blast hit Zether head-on. He vanished in the ensuing explosion and her eyes went wide.

"NOOO!"

The barrier broke.

Her aura exploded to life, shifting from blue to gold instantly. Her hair stood straight and turned gold while her eyes flashed once and became emerald green. Incredible power flowed all around her and through her and she vanished.

She reappeared and slammed her fist into Sauza's wide-eyed face, sending him flying backwards. She charged after him, shooting past him as a blur. She spun around extending her arm out, which connected with his neck in a powerful clothesline. He pivoted on her arm, his legs flying forward and she drove her other elbow into his chest; he slammed into the ground and debris exploded into the air as he vanished into a hole in the shape of his body.

She stared down after him then looked around for Zether. She gave a sigh of relief when she spotted him standing enshrouded in smoke with his arms crossed in front of his face and torso, one eye open and breathing heavily as he stared in her direction.

He offered a weak grin as his arms dropped to his sides. He legs shook as he closed his eyes. "Bout…damn…time…" he dropped to his hands and knees, his head hanging as he sucked air into his lungs.

"Rest. I'll handle this." She glanced down at the hole just as Sauza came flying out of it roaring in anger and frustration, one fist drawn back and ready to strike.

Amotto watched as his fist flew forward and slammed into her nose. She didn't even flinch from the hit. Sauza's eyes widened as he stared at her in open-mouthed shock.

"Is that really the best you've got?" she asked coldly, her eyes setting into a menacing glare. She shook her head slowly. "You are severely _fucked."_

Sauza growled and brought his other hand forward to instantly fire off a massive blast that completely engulfed her; it exploded with enough force to send chunks of rock and sand flying in every direction.

He glared into the dust that now shrouded the area from view…

"Not even close."

His eyes widened and he glanced fearfully over his shoulder to see Amotto just behind him. "B-but…h-how?! Wh-what a-are y-you?!"

She suddenly smirked and jerked a thumb at her chest. "Me? I'm a Super Saiyan. And you…" she said as she pointed her index finger at him. Gold ki appeared at the tip and pulsed as she stared at him coldly. "You are dead…"

Sauza made to lunge forward, but a thin beam of gold ki pierced his forehead and exploded out the back of his head. He crumpled in a heap at her feet and she stared down at him in contempt.

"Like I said: you are dead."

_**DBZ**_

_**(I'm hoping to keep this pace up. And I'm also hoping that you all are liking the way the story is going. Most stories always have a main character become a Super Saiyan first. I try to be as original as possible, while also staying as true to Dragonball Z as I can. It wasn't my original plan for Amotto to become a Super Saiyan first, if at all. But at times I just let the story advance on its own, and this is what happened. Personally, I am satisfied with the progression of the story and I'm having a lot of fun doing all of this. I hope you are having fun reading it. As always, please continue to read and review—emphasis on review so I can get more feedback—and the next chapter will be up soon.)**_


	28. Fade to Black

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Fade to Black**_

"_Things not what they used to be  
__Missing one inside of me  
__Deathly lost this can't be real  
__Can't stand this hell I feel  
__Emptiness is filling me  
__To the point of agony  
__Growing darkness taking dawn  
__I was me, but now he's gone."  
__**Fade to Black-Metallica**_

_**DBZ**_

Amotto, back in her normal form, stood in silence as twin trails of tears coursed down her cheeks. She stared down at a figure lying on a steel slab covered with a white sheet. The center of it was stained a dark red.

Broco had died, after all. By the time Berik had made it to a rejuvenation chamber, the man had already slipped away. Berik had tried to revive him, but to no avail. By the time Amotto had made it into the ship he had declared Broco gone…

And Amotto had just found out. Berik had apologized profusely but she had merely ignored him. All she could think about was that Broco was _gone._ Her friend, a man who had saved her life when she was a complete stranger, gone. She closed her eyes and turned her head away.

"Gods no…Broco…" she whispered despairingly. The others had left her alone several minutes before so she could say her final goodbyes in solitude.

But it wasn't really a goodbye when the person she was saying goodbye to didn't actually get to hear it. She opened her eyes and wiped some of her tears away as she looked down at the shrouded figure. She slowly lifted a hand and gently tugged the sheet back to reveal his lifeless face, his lips slightly parted beneath his beard. His single eye was half-lidded, staring lifelessly up at the ceiling.

She grimaced and gently brushed her fingers from his forehead and down over his eye, closing it and hiding his glazed eye so that it seemed that he was only sleeping. She rested both hands on his stomach and stared down at his scarred face.

_"A…mo…t-to…I…l-l…"_

She closed her eyes tight, a fresh wave of grief overcoming her and causing her eyes to sting with tears. A sob escaped her and she covered her mouth, shaking her head slowly. This was something she didn't want to accept, but was being forced to.

He had tried to tell her something before he passed out. She knew what he had been about to say, but that just caused her even more pain. She could never tell him how she felt.

Her flow of tears was steady as her eyes opened again, and she looked down at his face. She forced a sad, shaky smile. "Broco…" She hiccupped. "I love you, too…" she said in a soft, trembling voice. She stared down at him in silence before bending low and pressing a soft kiss to his cold lips.

She straightened up and took a shaky breath. She tried to remain straight and resolute, but the tears belied her true feelings. After a few seconds she covered her face with both hands. Her sobs came uncontrollably, and she sank to her knees beside the table, her shoulders and body shaking relentlessly…

_**DBZ**_

Coola's eyes narrowed and they cut sideways to glare at a blue alien with pink spots and an oblong head as it fidgeted under his gaze. "What did you just say?"

"S-sire…Re-reports a-are…S-sauza and D-doore and N-naize are a-all d-d-d-dead, Sire." He bowed his head, his entire body trembling.

"How is that possible?!" Coola demanded, his voice shaking with barely restrained rage.

"W-we l-l-lost c-c-communic-cations shortly after th-that re-report, S-sire. B-b-but…" the alien gulped and closed his eyes tight, preparing for the worst. "Th-the re-report was…th-that a S-saiyan k-killed them…"

Coola was silent as he glared at the alien. When he spoke again it was in a deadly whisper. "That is absurd. No Saiyan can generate enough power to do that. Not even Tettuce could have stood against all three members of my Armored Squadron."

"S-sire…" The alien opened his eyes and glanced up at him. "Th-that was wh-what the re-report s-stated…"

Coola narrowed his eyes. He stood up from his throne and glared down at the alien in contempt. "You are mistaken. _You lie_," he hissed dangerously. His tail flashed around and knocked the alien's head from his shoulders; it flew across the bridge and exploded into a bloody and gory mess against the far wall. The body crumbled into a heap at his feet.

Coola glared around the bridge at the other occupants. "Know this! No Saiyan can do what this filth claimed one has done! And never any of you forget that!" he roared in anger.

He suddenly looked towards the pilot. "Plot a course to that gods-forsaken planet that the report originated from. I want to know just what in the hell is going on."

"S-sire! ETA is…" He paused as he calculated the jump through hyper-space. "Three hours!"

Coola narrowed his eyes as he nodded slowly. "Make it less…"

"Sire!"

Coola's ship vibrated slightly as it made the transition in hyper-space.

He seated himself in his throne and gestured to a random soldier. "You there. Dispose of this trash at my feet, and clean that mess off my wall."

The soldier jumped up and dragged the alien from the bridge while Coola glared through the viewscreen at the front of the bridge and into space…

_**DBZ**_

The hatch of the tiny ship opened and Seripa jumped out, landing lightly in the red sand of the ugly planet. She looked around with wide eyes at the devastated landscape and the debris from the crashed ship. It was painfully obvious that all hell had broken loose here. She shook her head and looked towards an Imperial Cruiser sitting silently and ominously several hundred yards away. She eyed it warily, but she knew there was no danger. They had already been in contact with Falmer hours ago when the onboard sensors had alerted him and Diamond to their approach.

She frowned as she recalled that conversation. He had given them a quick rundown of what had happened; she could hardly believe that Broco was dead. And that power really _had _come from Amotto.

She looked down with a sigh, but glanced up almost immediately as Bardock appeared beside her.

He looked down at her somberly and they both started towards the ship. Falmer met them at the hatch, his expression grim.

"I wish I could say that it is good to see you," he sighed. "Too much has happened today, however." He offered a slight smile, though. "I _am_ glad to see you both alive and safe."

Bardock nodded. "Likewise. Where is Amotto?"

He glanced inside the ship and gestured in a seemingly random direction. "She is still in the medical wing. She refuses to leave Broco's side." He looked down. "I believe she feels responsible for his death."

Seripa stared in the direction he indicated then stepped past him and went into the ship. She left Bardock with Falmer and made her way to the medical wing. Within moments she was standing in the doorway looking at Amotto, who was sitting on the floor beside a metal table. A shrouded figure was lying motionless atop it and Amotto was clasping hands with a pale arm, gently stroking the back of the figure's hand.

Seripa grimaced and averted her eyes in embarrassment. She knew the signs clearly. Amotto had loved Broco…

She sighed quietly and lifted her gaze once more, then moved silently into the room. She approached Amotto and knelt down beside her. The other woman glanced at her somberly with blood-shot, puffy eyes. Streaks of salt stained her dusty cheeks.

"Amotto," Seripa began softly. "I—"

Amotto suddenly released Broco's hand and wrapped her arms tight around Seripa, burying her face firmly in her chest. She cried loudly, her sobs shaking her body as fresh tears flowed and soaked Seripa's armor.

Seripa sat frozen for a moment before she slowly wrapped her arms around her friend. She sat down, folding her legs beneath her, and held her friend in her lap, gently rocking her back and forth as she stroked her hair, shushing her softly. "It's okay, Amotto. I'm here. I'm here."

Amotto clung tighter to her and shook her head. "It's my fault, Seripa!" she wailed. "It's m-my f-fault Broco's d-dead!"

Seripa looked up at the motionless arm hanging off the edge of the table and she grimaced at the pale, bluish tint that Broco's arm had taken on. She looked away and said nothing as she continued to stroke her fingers through Amotto's short hair. She knew that no matter what she said her friend would continue to blame herself for Broco's death. Personally Seripa blamed Sauza since it had been he who had fired the killing beam through the man's chest. But that didn't matter to Amotto.

She sighed and closed her eyes as Amotto's rant became incoherent and then dissolved into sobs. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling; she looked past it and into nothingness as she thought of Aurah. She thought of the way she, herself, had felt when she believed Bardock to be dead. Amotto and Broco had not been mated, but it was clear that she had loved him nonetheless.

She thought of what Bardock had said to her about the way Saiyans were meant to be. Amotto was not acting the way Seripa had grown up knowing Saiyans to act in the wake of the death of a loved one. She remembered countless instances where a man or a woman would just shrug it off and go about their business. But Amotto was showing grief. Seripa had felt grief. Aurah had shown grief. Granted she had only been half Saiyan, but that was beside the point.

Seripa sighed again and glanced down at Amotto. She was still sobbing, but her sobs had quieted down. Seripa continued to stroke her friend's hair and pressed a soft, caring kiss to her forehead. It mildly surprised her that she would do such a thing…

Amotto looked up at her. "It should have been me," she whispered. "He saved my life. That attack was meant for _me!" _She closed her eyes and her hold on Seripa tightened.

Seripa winced and looked down at her friend in surprise. She had gotten incredibly strong since she healed up. She had actually caused her a bit of pain with that tight hug. A sad smile appeared on her face. She wished she could say or do something that would make Amotto feel better, but she knew it would have been pointless. Amotto wanted and _needed _to grieve. She wasn't going to deny her that.

_**DBZ**_

"So where's Zether?" Bardock asked as he and Falmer walked onto the bridge of the Imperial Cruiser.

Falmer glanced sideways at the Saiyan and smiled. "You do not have to worry about him for the time being. He is in recovery. He took a rather significant beating from…" he trailed off and glanced away, suddenly embarrassed. He sighed. "Well, from me." He looked at Bardock to see the man giving him a puzzled look, which made Falmer grin then laugh. "It is a long story, Bardock."

Bardock snorted. "Not as long as you'd think." A look of confusion came across Falmer's features and Bardock smirked. "I could sense your power. I knew you'd gotten strong."

Falmer grinned, his eyes lighting up in delight. "So you have been practicing with the skill!"

"Yeah, somewhat. Seripa, though," he grimaced and scowled. "She's already gotten the hang of it. Took me months and her only a few days."

Falmer chuckled. "Does that bother you?"

The Saiyan shrugged. "Eh, not really. She has a knack for picking up on things."

"So I have heard. Diamond and Berik filled me in on what happened back on Jynn-jin 13. You and your mate are incredible warriors."

Bardock gave a slight smile. "Yeah. But Seripa is the best. The student has surpassed the teacher." He spread his senses out and glanced in the direction of Seripa and Amotto. He frowned. "Tell me about Amotto. What happened here?"

Falmer gave a weary sigh and ran a hand over his face. He sighed again before looking at Bardock. "The short of it is that Amotto transformed into what your people refer to as a Super Saiyan. It is quite possibly the most incredible thing that I have ever born witness to. The power she was generating…" he trailed off and shook his head. "I cannot compare anything to it. I recall the power I had while I was The Beast, and the power Zether had as the Kin Slayer. Neither of those can hold a flickering flame to the power that she had. I honestly believe that she has what it takes to defeat Frieza once and for all."

Bardock nodded absently. He smirked as he returned his gaze to Falmer. "I'm impressed. And more than a little jealous. I felt her power light-years away. The legends of the Super Saiyan don't compare to the reality of it."

"Unless one has actually experienced it first hand, I can see how it would seem far-fetched. I can hardly believe it myself and I was here!" He laughed wearily. "I recall when I first met her…" He paused and frowned. He sighed and shook his head slowly. "It seems so long ago, and yet it has barely been a month. Her power was nothing compared to what I was used to." He turned his gaze in her direction. "And now she is perhaps the most powerful being in the entire universe. I am anxious to pit her against the Colds."

Bardock nodded his agreement. "I bet you never thought you'd live to see the day that you could say a Saiyan was the most powerful being in the universe." He grinned slyly as Falmer grinned back at him.

"Honestly? No, I never did," he said with a laugh.

"Screw you, too."

Falmer laughed again.

_**DBZ**_

Turles was sitting on the edge of his bed, his head hanging in shame, when he heard a knock at his door. He lifted his head and cut his eyes towards the door, narrowing his eyes. He didn't want company right now. Who the hell could it be…?

He sighed and stood up. He knew he'd deserved it. Bardock was right: he shouldn't be having such dark thoughts anymore. There were more important things going on than one's own power gain. True he wanted to be powerful enough to fight Frieza, but while he had let his thoughts slip into a dark place, the truth was that he didn't really want to start down that path again. He had come such a long way from that ingrate he had been. Why would he give in to things he had not considered since his dark days in that cell on Jynn-jin 13?

He moved to the door and opened it. He arched an eyebrow at Etapa standing there with her hands clasped together behind her back. She offered him a sheepish smile.

"May I come in?" she asked quietly.

He looked away and shrugged. But he stepped back out of the way and let her by. He closed the door behind her and walked back to his bed, sitting down heavily.

"What do you want?" he asked a little more bluntly than he intended. He cringed and lifted a hand to scratch his neck in embarrassment as he avoided her searching gaze.

Etapa stared at him in silence, a soft look in her purple eyes. She smiled softly. "Were you really planning on killing us?" There was no hint of fear in her voice. Only curiosity.

Turles frowned as he looked up at her. She didn't sound the least bit bothered by his intentions. He looked down in shame and shrugged.

"I…guess?" He sighed. What a pathetic answer.

"I see." She stepped towards him and knelt down in front of him. She touched his cheek with one hand and gently turned his head so he was looking down at her in surprise. She smiled again. "I don't believe you for a second."

He blinked and frowned again. "Why not? I already tried to kill everyone once," he mumbled as he cut his eyes to the side, looking away. Her hand kept him from turning his head away.

"Look at me," she said softly.

Reluctantly he turned his dark eyes to meet her purple ones.

Her smile brightened a bit. "You're a good guy, Turles. Whether you believe it or not. I can see it in your eyes. I can see the hurt and shame you feel for yourself. You had a moment of weakness that you almost succumbed to. But you didn't. You overcame it."

"No, I didn't," he said firmly. "My brother saw it and prevented it. I fully intended to kill everyone on this ship."

Etapa shook her head, that bright smile still in place. "I don't believe it. I never will."

He stared at her for a moment before frowning. "Why?" He couldn't stop himself from asking. How could anyone so adamantly deny the truth like that? He had fully intended to kill every one of them. His brother had even seen it happen in a vision. So…how? He just could not understand that.

Her smile split into a sly grin. "You almost died to save people you hardly knew. To save people you had previously tried to kill. If you really wanted us dead you would have allowed us to be killed, instead of risking your life the way you did. So face it, Turles: You ARE a good guy."

Turles found himself mesmerized by her eyes. He was unable to tear his gaze from hers. He stared into her eyes as he pondered her words, a slight frown creasing his brow. He forced his eyes to turn away, thinking over what she had said. He didn't feel like a good guy, despite what she claimed. It was a fact that he had tried once already to kill them. It was a fact that he had almost succeeded several times. It was a fact that he did not succeed thanks to Seripa and then thanks to Tettuce. It was a fact that he had been considering trying again, and had intended to until Bardock had made his timely call.

But even though Bardock had contacted him he still could have gone through with his actions. There was no one onboard this ship strong enough to stop him. He could _still _do it. But what was stopping him now? Was it the threat of Bardock and the others coming after him? By the time they reached him, he could have already made it to Entide and grown too powerful for them to do anything about it.

So what was really stopping him?

His frown deepened and he looked at her again. His frown immediately vanished and his eyes went wide as he saw that her face was closer to his, her eyes half-lidded. He blinked and found himself unable to stop as he leaned towards her, closing what little distance there was between them.

Her lips crushed against his and she was suddenly yanking his armor over his head as she pushed him onto his back.

His last clear thought before desire and ecstasy took him over was that maybe it didn't matter what he thought about himself. Etapa saw some good in him.

And suddenly that was all that mattered to him…

_**DBZ**_

Turpin reclined in his seat aboard the bridge of the tiny ship, his clubbed hand rubbing absently against the side of his bearded face. He yawned wide, exposing what few teeth he had remaining in his head. He was trying to catch a nap while he could.

Beside him in the pilot's seat, Seluri sat back in her chair staring at him in bemusement. She scowled. "How in the hell can you sleep at a time like this?"

His single eye opened and he looked at her. "Wha' ya mean?"

She folded her arms across her chest with a huff. "You know very well what I mean, Turpin. There is a Super Saiyan in the other ship and you have no interest in finding out how she attained that state?"

He grinned and shook his bald head. "No' re'lly, no."

"And why, pray tell, not?" she demanded.

"Ah know da s'cr't t' da tr'nsf'rma-shun."

Her eyes went wide and she leaned over to grasp his beard in anger. She jerked his head around to look at her and she glared at him. "And you are just _now_ mentioning this?!"

He laughed and freed his beard from her grasp. "Didn' thin' it wuz dat imp'rtan' jus' ye'."

She growled. "You are an idiot, Turpin." She glared at his grinning face in silence for a few minutes, then sighed and lifted her hands to rub her temples. "Were you planning on telling us? And how, exactly, do you know the secret?"

Turpin's expression suddenly became solemn. He straightened his seat and folded his good hand over his club as he stared at the floor. "Un-like you, I was a-ble to com-plete my Cle-ric train-ing." He spoke slowly, carefully enunciating every syllable. The words still sounded harsh in his accent, though.

Seluri blinked at him. He very rarely enunciated, and usually when he was making jokes about his lack of enunciation.

He sighed. "Ah 'ave da tr'nin' scrolls m'm'rized. Ev'ry w'rd o' ev'ry scroll. Ah've kn'wn da s'cr't f'r d'cades."

Seluri frowned and tilted her head slightly. "Then why have you not become a Super Saiyan?"

He glanced at her with a grim smile. "Ah 'ave." He heaved a sigh and straightened up in his chair. "Da pr'bl'm ah 'ave, though 's dat ah'm t' olt'. Ah 'ave a' leas' tw'n'y years on ya."

"When did you transform?"

"Hm…'bou' ten years 'go. Bu' I can' hol' da form f'r lon'. Mebe ten m'nutes a' da mos'. Me b'dy's t' fra-gile. Ah've been m'ess'd up t' m'ch." He shrugged. "Ah can' b' da one t' figh' Frieza. Ah may b' able t' figh' for a l'il while, bu' no' lon' 'nuff t' kill 'im. Fact is, ah'm no' as stron' as ah use' t' be. Me p'wa de-crea-ses e'vry day. Trut' is…ah was bl'ffin' to Ka'bijj. Ah can' figh' 'im. 'Is b'dy's less rav-aged den mine."

Seluri's eyes widened and she leaned forward to grab his shoulder desperately. "Wait a second! Ka'bijj is older than you!"

Turpin nodded grimly.

She stared at him in silent fear before slumping back into her chair. "So…he knows the secret, too…"

Turpin nodded again.

"Do you…think he is a Super Saiyan, then?"

Turpin looked up at her…and nodded grimly. "Yes…'E's mos' lik'ly a Supa Saiyan."

"Gods help us…"

_**DBZ**_

"Sire!"

Frieza opened his eyes and turned his red eyes coldly upon a soldier seated at a console.

"What?" he demanded quietly and coldly.

The soldier cringed and looked at the tyrant with obvious trepidation. "S-sire…I h-have located Aurah's ship."

Frieza's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Oh..? How did you do that?"

"Th-the beacon th-that the mole has. It j-just reactivated."

The lizard's eyes narrowed and a sinister grin spread his lips wide to show his gleaming teeth. "That is good. Pilot!" he suddenly barked, turning his gaze to another soldier.

The pilot spun around to regard his lord, doing his best to contain his fear. "O-on it, Sire. P-plotting a c-course n-now."

Frieza's grin remained in place as he nodded. He glanced around until he saw Dodoria. "Dodoria. Go and retrieve Zarbon for me."

The pink monster bowed. "Yes, Sire." He turned and hurried off.

The evil tyrant leaned back in his throne, his grin still firmly in place as he sighed in satisfaction. _Finally_ something was going his way. He would finish off these pests once and for all. The few remaining Saiyans would die; as well as the few remaining Gylderians. The ones known as Zether and Falmer wouldn't be causing him any issues since they'd been taken care of back on Jynn-jin 13. And with Tettuce, Bardock, and Seripa out of the picture there was no one left that could even try to challenge him. And The Priest was taking care of Turpin…

Things really were going his way.

_**DBZ**_

Dodoria cast an idle glance to his quarters across the hall as he raised his massive fist to knock on Zarbon's door, but froze when he heard voices from within the Aotian's quarters. He frowned and pressed his ear to the door.

"-is a message to all the members of the _Galactic Band. _We need to focus on causing a galaxy-wide ruckus. There is a future for us—"

Dodoria jerked back, his eyes wide as he stared at the door in disbelief. Zarbon was a member of that pesky resistance force! He quickly pressed his ear to the door again.

"—form of two Saiyans named Bardock and Seripa." Dodoria covered his mouth with his hand to stifle an exclamation. The two Saiyans were still alive! It wasn't possible!

"This has been a long and arduous battle. Fighting the Cold Empire has been taxing. Before today we never could risk open warfare, but that is exactly what I am suggesting we do now. Frieza cannot find out about Bardock and Seripa. He cannot get to them before they are strong enough to stand against him and take him down. I propose—"

Dodoria had heard enough. He opened the door and Zarbon jerked around in his chair, slamming the screen shut on his portable transmission device.

The fat pink soldier glared at Zarbon in disgust. "You would betray Lord Frieza?" he demanded angrily.

Zarbon narrowed his eyes as he stood up slowly. He glanced over Dodoria's shoulder as the door slid to a close behind him. His eyes cut back to the pink warrior and he offered a cold smile. "I never did like you…"

Dodoria suddenly blinked. He looked over his shoulder and then back at Zarbon with wide eyes. He'd briefly forgotten just how strong the Aotian was.

Zarbon lunged forward, swinging his fist around to strike Dodoria in his cheek.

Dodoria blocked the punch and lunged forward to knee Zarbon in his stomach, but he brought his own knee up to block the blow. They glared at each other for a moment, Dodoria's eyes, arms, and legs twitching with the strain.

"The answer, Dodoria, is yes…" Zarbon smiled and blurred backwards, causing Dodoria to stumble forward.

Before Dodoria could recover his footing, he lunged forward again as the pink beast straightened up and slammed his fist full force into his throat, sending him flying back into and through the door, and out into the hallway. He exploded through the far wall and landed in a heap on his own bed; his scouter clattered to the floor, the lens cracking on impact.

Zarbon stepped through the hold and into Dodoria's quarters, just as the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears. He looked down in contempt at Dodoria as his massive body twitched, and gurgling noises issues from his devastated throat.

"You get only what you deserve, _traitor!"_ Zarbon spat just as several soldiers appeared behind him.

Dodoria turned his blood-shot eyes on Zarbon, a stricken look coming over his features. He tried to speak, but only gurgled. He had to resign himself to glaring daggers at the Aotian before he gave a final spasm and was still, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

One of the soldiers, a blonde humanoid with red skin, turned to Zarbon. "Sir? What did you mean by traitor?"

Zarbon cast a glare at the alien. "This scum was planning to betray Lord Frieza!" he spat angrily. "I've been on to him for weeks now, but just finally confirmed it. I confronted him and he attacked me! I had no choice but to kill him. Frieza will not be happy about this."

"Oh, you are too right."

Zarbon spun around to see the tyrant standing behind the three soldiers, smiling rather pleasantly with his hands behind his back.

Zarbon blinked as the soldiers backed away. Frieza's eyes suddenly narrowed and he brought one hand forward. Resting in the palm of his hand was a scouter.

"While Dodoria was not the smartest of creatures, he did have enough foresight to activate his scouter." Frieza's smile vanished. "I heard everything, Zarbon."

The Aotian stood straight and glared down at Frieza. "I doubt you heard everything…"

"I heard enough." He dropped the scouter and pointed an index finger at Zarbon's throat. "Enough to know that _you_ are the traitor." A purple beam flashed from the tip of his finger and through Zarbon's throat…

As he collapsed, the Aotian took solace in the fact that Frieza knew nothing about Bardock and Seripa…

_**DBZ**_

Blythe winced as he shifted on the metal slab that was supposed to be his bed. He held up a shaky hand and stared at a tiny box in his palm. He smiled coldly as he closed his fingers around it.

He laughed aloud. Soon Frieza would catch up to this ship. Soon Turles would pay for the damage he had caused the Gylderian. Soon everyone would be dead.

And Blythe couldn't have been happier.

_**DBZ**_

_**(I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! And yes, I trolled you all again with Broco's death. As with Tettuce, he will be missed greatly. RIP Broco. Also, this is a shameless self-bump on behalf of my band, Dawn's Apocalypse. We just started up a Youtube Channel and we have one video posted up so far. There will be more to come eventually. But go and check it out, give the song a listen. It's an original called Strange Noises and was written by my buddy, Blake. We're experimenting right now with some things, so the vocals might throw you off initially. But give us a listen and leave some comments if you'd like: DawnsApocalypseband is the channel. Oh! And try and guess which one is me in the video. *EDIT* Here is the link to our video. watch?v=A-Gaqv4yKZQ Lol As always, thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated. Until next chapter—which is coming shortly—Individual Lies out.)**_


	29. Losing My Religion (Part I)

_**(I am well aware that Losing My Religion is an REM song, but I am utilizing the feel of the Lacuna Coil cover for this and the coming chapters. You will see why. Maybe.)**_

_**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Losing My Religion (Part I)**_

"_That's me in the corner  
__That's me in the spotlight  
__Losing my religion  
__Trying to keep up with you  
__And I don't know if I can do it  
__Oh no, I've said too much  
__I haven't said enough."  
__**Losing My Religion-Lacuna Coil**_

_**DBZ**_

When Coola's ship exited hyper-space near to a massive red planet, he was standing before the view screen. His eyes narrowed into slits as he regarded the ugly planet. He turned to one of his soldiers sitting at one of the many consoles lining the walls of the bridge.

"You there. What is this pathetic excuse for a planet called?"

The soldier frowned as his fingers flashed across his keyboard. "I do not know, Sire. It doesn't appear to be in the databanks."

Coola frowned and glanced at the planet again. "I would imagine not. I see no green land masses, or any bodies of water. It is a waste of Space."

"It would appear so, Sire."

Coola ignored the soldier as the ship drew closer to the planet. "Pilot! How long until we land?"

"L-less than t-ten minutes, S-sire."

The Ice-jin nodded absently. "You got us here in less than three hours. Land us in five minutes and you will survive this day."

"Y-yes, S-sire." He set to work and the ship's speed increased as it entered the atmosphere and began its descent.

The soldier from before suddenly spoke up. "S-sire, it appears th-that the other side of the p-planet is g-green, and there is a-a l-large b-body of water."

The Ice-jin's cold eyes slid in his direction. "Is that so? Irrelevant."

"Y-yes, S-sire."

Coola was still frowning as the ground drew closer. Just what had happened to his Armored Squadron? He could not fathom a Saiyan generating enough power to kill all three of them, least of all Sauza. He had been hand-picked by Coola himself for his power. All three members of his Squadron had made Major Ginyu's power seem pathetic in comparison. Not even Tettuce the Insane could have stood up against Sauza, let alone all three of them!

His eyes narrowed again. So who, or what, had ended their lives…?

_**DBZ**_

Seripa was sitting on the edge of the bed she had just placed Amotto in. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend. She had gone through so much already and had now lost the man she loved before she ever had a chance to have him. Her violet eyes traced down from the girl's face to the scar that stretched from beneath her armor, almost touching her collarbone. She grimaced as she lifted a hand to touch it gently. It was obviously freshly-healed, the outer edges still pink. She looked to the scars on her arms and slowly shook her head as she stood up.

She sighed and grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed. She pulled it up to Amotto's neck and stepped back to regard the green-haired woman with a sympathetic look. She had cried herself to sleep so Seripa had decided to put her up in one of the now-vacant quarters. Berik was currently taking care of Broco's body. He had convinced her and the others that it was only fitting that they give the man a proper funeral.

It sounded odd to Seripa, but she supposed that more compassionate races tended to do such things. Perhaps at one time Saiyans even did the same.

She frowned as she turned and exited the room, pausing outside in the hallway as the door slid shut behind her. Far too much had happened this day.

She sighed and started towards the bridge. She suddenly paused, her frown deepening as she turned her gaze skyward. She narrowed her eyes as she concentrated on pushing her ki out…

A massive power washed over her and her whole body began to tremble. Her eyes were wide as she reached out to the wall to steady herself.

Who the hell was that?!

Her attention was brought back to the ship with the sound of running footsteps. She looked down the hallway as Bardock and Falmer appeared and she swallowed back a lump that had built up in her throat.

"D-do you two feel that?" she asked tremulously. She knew the answer; she was just hoping she was imagining the power.

Bardock came to a stop, a frown twisting his features as his eyes darted to the ceiling. "Yeah, we do."

Falmer paused beside them and glanced towards Amotto's room. "We'll need her for this. That power belongs to Coola." He frowned. "I should have guessed that he would not be far behind his Squadron. He rarely sends them away from him for long periods of time."

Seripa followed Falmer's gaze and frowned. Amotto was in no shape to be fighting someone so powerful so soon. She turned back to the Gylderian and shook her head. "Amotto can't fight him! She's been through too much as it is. We'll have to make a run for it!"

"That will be impossible, Seripa. His gunners will shoot us down before we make it more than one hundred feet from the ground." He sighed as he shook his head. "I understand what you are saying, but we have no choice. Amotto is the only one of us strong enough to face off against him."

Bardock's eyes narrowed. "He's right, Seripa." He growled as his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "As much as I _hate_ to admit it!" He glanced towards the ceiling. "He's gettin' closer. We have to do somethin' and soon."

Falmer started towards Amotto's room, but Seripa stepped in front of him. She glared up at him. "Ain't happenin', Gylderian. She needs rest…" She frowned and looked away. "I'll fight him."

Bardock looked at her sharply with an arched eyebrow. "Are you out of your mind? Can't you feel that power?"

She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "Are you scared, Bardock?"

He narrowed his eyes at his mate as he regarded her in silence. She knew just how to shut him up.

She suddenly smirked. "Are we, or aren't we, Saiyans?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "We are…"

"Then what's stoppin' us from fightin' Coola?"

He stared at her in silence as Falmer looked back and forth between them. He suddenly smirked and folded his arms. "Nothin' I guess. You _do_ realize that we're gonna get our asses handed to us, right?"

Her smirk split into a grin. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Bardock grinned. "Alright then. Let's go."

"No' s' fas'."

Everyone turned to see Turpin and Seluri standing side by side in the hallway. Turpin's eye was narrowed, his scars making the scowl on his face all the more fearsome.

Bardock frowned. "What do you mean?"

Seluri returned the frown. "Foolish man. There is but one among us with the power to face Coola, and she is not yet up to the task of defeating him."

"What else can we do?" demanded Seripa. "Just wait around for him to blast us into oblivion?"

"No," said Turpin. "Fer now we's r'treat."

Bardock's eyes narrowed. "Are ya kiddin' me? We can't do that! _I _can't do that. I'm not a coward!"

"And we cannot afford to fly blindly into a battle that we have no chance of winning!" retorted Seluri. "There are far too few of us with the power needed to continue this little war we have going on. Right now you, Seripa, and this Amotto are the only hope that the Saiyan race has left. The universe, even. Do you really desire to jeopardize that all because it would hurt your pride to flee?"

Bardock blinked, frowned and glanced away.

Seripa narrowed her eyes. "We have a score to settle with the Ice-jins…"

"Den set'le it on der terms. Set'le it wit' de powa o' a Supa Saiyan." Turpin turned his glare on Falmer. Diamond had appeared just behind him, glancing between Seluri and Turpin, and Seripa and Bardock. "Ah s'gges' ya's get's us off dis plane' now."

Falmer frowned but nodded. "Right away." He glanced at Diamond and nodded to her.

She hesitated for a moment, but then turned and rushed back to the bridge.

Turpin raised his good hand and pointed at Bardock and Seripa. "Ya two 'ave alo' t' learn." He jerked a thumb at his chest as his scowl became a ferocious grin. "Ah'm 'bou' t' show ya's jus' why Tettuce 'ated me s' much."

_**DBZ**_

Turles laid in silence, his hands behind his head as he stared thoughtfully up at his ceiling. He shot a glance at Etapa who was laying beneath covers, her head resting on his battle-scarred chest, one arm draped over him. She was asleep, smiling contentedly. Despite himself a small smile turned his lips as he stared at her. She looked so peaceful, so happy. And not so long ago he had wanted to kill everyone, including her.

A pang of regret grabbed his heart and he looked away, staring at the far wall. He sighed and closed his eyes. What had he been thinking? Hell, what was Etapa thinking? To trust him of all people?

He opened his eyes and looked at her again. She felt something for him while all he had ever felt was hurt pride and seclusion. He had never wanted anyone or anything that did not benefit him.

He frowned. But now, apparently, he had someone. It had been wholly unexpected, but he was finding that he didn't mind. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. And it wasn't due to the fact that they had just had sex.

She saw something in him that he couldn't see and he wanted to know what that was. She called him a good person. Was he really? What was the definition of a good person?

He was still frowning as he returned his gaze to the ceiling. He didn't fall under the definition that he had known. People like Aurah (Surah and Leta, now,) Tettuce, Berik, Broco…_they_ were good people. Turles wasn't. He had had no desire to help anyone but himself. He grew up looking out for number one and that was how he had planned to live his life.

But what had happened?

His mind flashed suddenly back to that day on Jynn-jin 13 and he saw himself standing atop the spaceship as Frieza's ship gave chase.

His frown faded and he looked down at Etapa again. She had been there then and had seen what he did. Was that what had drawn her to him?

He sighed and looked at the ceiling again. In order to be a good person he would have to have remorse for his past actions. But did he? He did regret killing his father. But what about everything else he had done? He didn't regret killing Caul, but Caul had been a worthless Saiyan anyway. He had betrayed everyone far too easily. Did he regret killing innocents? Who was innocent? He did feel an odd emotion any time he thought about killing children. It…just didn't sit well with him. But adults, that didn't really bother him. Maybe it should have, but the way he saw it he was a product of his upbringing. He had been taught to kill first and ask no questions. Emotion wasn't something he had been taught to deal with.

He shifted slightly but paused when Etapa moved. He looked at her to see her arch her back and she rubbed her cheek against his chest, her smile broadening. She remained asleep.

Despite himself, Turles smiled. Maybe he just needed someone to be good _for. _

His thoughts vanished as he closed his eyes and moved one hand down to caress her bare shoulder. Eventually sleep found him.

_**DBZ**_

Ka'bijj's ship hovered just within the atmosphere of an ugly, massive red planet. The hatch was open and he was standing on the door looking down at the mostly dead planet, a sadistic grin twisting his features.

"Coola beat me here, but that is fine by me. The more the merrier, after all." He chuckled to himself as he spread his arms and tipped forward. He dropped like a stone towards the distant ground, his cloak billowing behind him like the black wings of some demonic creature.

He stared unblinking down at the ground waiting for the perfect sign…

And he didn't have to wait long. His grin widened as he spotted a ship rapidly ascending towards the sky.

"Oh, no you do not!" He angled his body so that he was in a perfect dive, his arms flat against his sides. The air before him began to redden against his invisible ki barrier as his speed steadily increased, the distance between him and the ship rapidly shrinking. Clouds were swept away into nothingness as he dropped through them, his speed never ceasing its increase.

"No one escapes this planet today!" he cried as he suddenly flipped around and drove his knees into the roof of the ship, a shockwave erupting outwards and causing the steel surface of the ship to ripple as the roof caved in. The ship wobbled in the air and seemed to drop several feet from the impact.

"Let us settle this on the ground!" He brought his hands above his head and pushed off from the roof with his knees. His grin, having momentarily vanished, reappeared as he thrust his hands down and charged his ki forward in a powerful burst. The roof caved in more, metal plates bending and popping loose and the ship was forced back in the direction from which it had come, falling like a stone to the sand far below.

Ka'bijj watched in satisfaction as it slammed violently into the surface of the planet many miles below him with a violent explosion of sand. He smirked and folded his arms as he dropped down after it.

"Time for a face-to-face reunion, Turpin…Sel…" His eyes narrowed as he drew closer to the ship. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Coola's ship approaching and he glanced at it. He narrowed his eyes in contempt and scowled. "You will not interfere, Coola. Be gone!" He threw his arm around and sent another powerful burst of his ki towards the Ice-jin's ship, immediately sending it tumbling backwards through the air. He grinned as it hit the ground with a tremendous crash and twisted end over end violently, metal and glass flying with each crash into the ground.

"That shall keep you occupied for the moment."

With an approving nod he finally reached the ground, landing lightly just as the hatch of the ship opened…

_**DBZ**_

"Ka'bijj…" murmured Turpin as he stepped down to the ground from the ship. He narrowed his eye at the former Cleric, his black cloak flapping in the fierce desert winds. Seluri stepped down beside him. "Ah shoulda kno'ed."

Seluri glared at the grinning man. "How did you find us?!"

Ka'bijj kept his grin in place as he lightly tapped the side of his head. "I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve, Sel."

Turpin smiled slightly. "Ah, so's ya c'n s'nse powa's, eh? Us'ful trick, huh?"

Ka'bijj blinked and his grin faded. "You can, as well?"

Turpin nodded. "Dat's no' all ah c'n do."

The taller Saiyan stared at the scarred man for a moment before grinning again. "I highly doubt that anything you can do will help you against me, Turpin." He chuckled and closed his eyes. "You see…I am a Super Saiyan."

Turpin grinned and a golden aura suddenly exploded to life around his body. His long beard was swept upwards in the surge as his single eye was suddenly green. His salt and pepper beard flashed and was instantly gold.

Ka'bijj's eyes shot open as the power washed over him and he stared wide-eyed at the shorter Saiyan. "Impossible!"

"Only 'n yer dre'ms, Ka'bijj. Ah've be'n a Supa Saiyan fer 'bout ten years n'w." Turpin exhaled slowly as his power leveled out. He folded his arms, his aura raging violently around his body. Occasionally it seemed to pulse unstably, but he paid no attention to that fact.

"I see…" Ka'bijj smiled coldly. "Then this shall be a battle for the history books. Two Super Saiyans going head to head…I am going to enjoy this!" he bellowed as his own golden aura surged to life suddenly and his mohawk was instantly golden. His eyes flashed and were green. He roared at the top of his lungs as his power skyrocketed, shooting past Turpin's easily.

Turpin cringed and glanced at Seluri slowly. Lowering his voice he said, "Lis-ten, Seluri. Dis's it fer me. Ah c'n hol' 'im off fer a bit, bu' yo' n' da othes mus' leave n'w."

Seluri frowned. "What are you saying, Turpin?"

He smiled slightly. "Ah'll die t'day."

"No! We can still escape!" But even as the words left her mouth, she knew that they weren't true.

Turpin returned his gaze to Ka'bijj as the other man started towards them. "Ah kno'ed dis day w's comin'. 'Twas always gonna end wit' me deat'. If'n it'was Frieza, Coola, Cold, 'r 'nyone else. Ah don' 'ave da powa t' s'rvive. Ah'm t' old."

"You're not much older than me, though, Turpin. It does not have to end this way." Seluri grabbed his arm as he started to walk forward, ignoring the heat of his aura as it continued to burn.

He looked at her again and gave her a sad smile. "Sel…it 'as t' b' dis way. Ka'bijj 's no' da man we knew. If'n ah don' face 'im 'ere, 'e'll come aft'r us ag'in." He shook his head with a sigh. "It 'as t' end 'ere."

Seluri stared down at him and then looked at Ka'bijj. He had paused ten feet away from them. She frowned and looked at Turpin again and shook her head. "Then you will not face him alone."

Turpin laughed. "Sel, ya's c'n no' figh' 'im. 'E's a Supa Saiyan. Ah'm s'rry, bu' it 'as t' b' me."

She looked away and closed her eyes. After a moment she shook her head and opened them again to look down at him; they glistened with barely contained tears. "Turpin…I…I am sorry for not telling you about Seripa sooner."

He shook his head. "Don' b. Ah wou'dn' 'ave b'en v'ry good f'r 'er t' 'ave in 'er life. 'Sides, she t'rn'd ou' jus' fine wit'out me. She's a stron' y'ung lady. Ah'm proud o' 'er. As ya's shoul' b'." He smiled again and looked at Ka'bijj, who was beginning to look rather annoyed at the delay.

Seluri smiled, her bottom lip trembling with her withheld emotion. "I am. Very much so."

"Good. Take care of yourself, Seluri," he said quietly, carefully enunciating his words.

"I will."

He nodded and then lunged forward, driving his club fist into Ka'bijj's face before he could react. The taller man was sent flying and Turpin gave chase, his aura flashing and the ground exploding beneath him as he charged forward.

Seluri watched the two men going at it, but honestly all she could see were two golden streaks colliding every other second. She grimaced and turned back to the ship, doing her best to steel herself against the fact that this would be the last time she ever saw Turpin alive. As she lifted her gaze to the ship, a blur of motion shot by her and she spun around to see Seripa and Bardock flying full speed towards Turpin and Ka'bijj.

Her eyes were wide as she exclaimed, "Seripa! No! Come back!"

But she was ignored. She scowled and her violet aura appeared as she shook her head. "That stubborn girl! She is definitely her father's daughter!" She lifted into the air and then shot after them at full speed, leaving the ship behind.

_**DBZ**_

The ship shook from shockwaves outside and Amotto slowly turned her head to stare at the far wall. She had awoken when the ship crashed back to the ground, but she had remained in her bed. She had no will to move after the day's events. She knew there was a battle taking place outside, but she just could not will herself to get up.

She stared at the wall as if she could peer through the solid surface and see the events unfolding outside. She knew Seripa and Bardock had just joined the fight, because she had heard them talking about it as they passed by her room. Seripa had looked in on her, but she pretended to still be asleep. She didn't want to talk to anyone or do anything. Broco's death had drained her of everything she had held on to since awakening.

What did she have left now? Her race was all-but destroyed, and the small number of survivors was dwindling more and more every day. Her desire upon waking up to kill Frieza was no longer there. Broco had helped her to rise above that, but then almost immediately he had been taken away.

She was lost. She didn't know what to do anymore. She had held out as long as she could through everything, but now she was at the end of her rope. Having this outrageous power didn't help her mood. If it truly was the mythical Super Saiyan transformation, then she was a warrior of legend. According to most myths those gifted with such awesome power also took on new responsibilities, but she didn't want them. She didn't want the weight of the universe on her shoulders, but she couldn't help but think that was too much to ask anymore.

She sighed and pulled the blanket over her head as the ship shuddered, rattling her bed. She wished she could just close her eyes and find out this was all just a dream. She knew it wasn't, and that made her heart ache. She longed to have Broco alive again, but the gods had apparently passed judgment on the Saiyan race. They were dropping like flies at every turn; it was only a matter of time before the remainders of her people were extinct.

It was hopeless to keep fighting.

She pulled the blanket down and sat up slowly. The ship shuddered again and she twisted around, her bare feet touching the cool floor as she frowned. It _was_ hopeless to keep fighting, but Seripa and Bardock were still hard at it.

She stood up and made her way to the doorway, pausing as she peeked out into the hallway. She listened to Diamond's and Falmer's voices echoing back down the corridor as they discussed getting the ship back up and running. It was damaged, apparently.

She looked down at her boots sitting by the door and swiftly pulled them on. Straightening up, she squared her shoulders as she took in a breath and held it. She exhaled and started down the corridor towards the open hatch.

Her conversation with Broco played through her mind as she stepped outside and looked up to see Bardock and Seripa darting around a gold-enshrouded figure. She looked around slowly until she spotted Turpin standing a good distance away looking up at them. Seluri was beside him looking as if she were angry about something.

Amotto's brow creased as she returned her gaze to the figure in the sky. She had no idea who this guy was, but he was obviously powerful. Every punch and kick thrown his way just seemed to bounce off of him.

"Hopeless or not, I'm sick of being helpless," she said quietly to herself. "I have this power. I can transform. I'm _not_ helpless anymore." The sand at her feet began to billow and rise, slowly spiraling around her ankles. Faint blue sparks of light flashed around her tightly clenched fists and danced around her legs.

"I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines. I'm sick and tired of watching my friends die." She shook her head slowly; her gaze hardened as her hair lifted up and flashed.

The ground cracked beneath her feet as her gold aura billowed to life around her taut frame. Plumes of sand were blown away from her and into the ship, as well. Her eyes flashed and were green, the same time her hair flashed once more and was instantly golden. The hum of power was back as she glared into the sky, her power rising by the second and several heads turning her way.

She suddenly threw her head back and screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'M NOT WEAK ANYMORE!" she cried. "NO LONGER AM I HELPLESS LITTLE AMOTTO! FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, I AM AMOTTO THE SUPER SAIYAN!"

The figure's green eyes watched her curiously as she sprang into the air and rushed at him at top speed, the distance closing between them in an instant. She thrust her fist forward, expecting to impact his jaw. He caught her punch, however, and his fist was flying towards her face. Momentarily stunned, she quickly recovered and her other hand flashed up to catch his punch.

Their golden auras merged and roared around the two of them as their eyes met.

"A female Super Saiyan. How interesting. And here I thought that tremendous power had actually belonged to Turpin." The man smirked as he looked her over.

Amotto narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on his closed fist, her fingers digging into his bare flesh hard enough to draw blood. His bones ground together and he visibly winced, frowning down at her.

"You are more powerful than I anticipated. You could prove to be an issue later on."

"Later on? I'm an issue right now," she seethed as she continued to tighten her grip. "I can feel your bones beginning to crack." She grinned devilishly.

The man smirked again. "My name is Ka'bijj. Who, exactly, are you?"

"Are you deaf? I said my name was Amotto the Super Saiyan." She scowled at him. "You're going to regret attacking us, 'cause I'm about to kill you."

Ka'bijj laughed aloud at that. "You haven't the power, Amotto. I can detect what you are generating. It is impressive, but nowhere near powerful enough to defeat—"

Her fist was like lightning as she released her hold on him and slammed it square in the center of his face, sending him reeling backwards and clutching his nose. "Don't underestimate me just yet! I'm still so full of surprises."

Ka'bijj cursed and rubbed his throbbing noses as blood dripped over his lips and stained his beard. He frowned across the sky at her, his displeasure evident in the glare he was giving her.

"You are going to pay dearly for that, woman!" he cursed again, wiping more blood from his steadily gushing nostrils.

"I've heard that before. Hell, I heard that today. I haven't paid, yet." She smirked and beckoned for him to charge her. "Show me what you've got. You don't have much time before I kill you, after all."

Ka'bijj shook his head. "You actually believe that you stand a chance?"

"God damn it, why are you still talking?!" Amotto scowled and clenched her fists tight as her eyes narrowed again. "I'm sick of this monologue-shit you guys always do! I'm here to fight, not listen to you bore me to death!"

Ka'bijj blinked as he stared at her, surprised by her little outburst. "Very well," he murmured as his eyes narrowed to match hers. "I will just have to beat you to death, then." He grinned, but her fist was suddenly imbedded in his nose again.

"I SAID fight me!" she screeched as he was sent careening down into the ground. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SSSSHHHHUUUTTTT UUUPPPP!" Her hands were brought up and then thrust down, a massive golden wave of energy flashing down to slam into him; it exploded on contact, a massive mushroom-shaped cloud rising into the sky.

Ka'bijj exploded from the rising smoke and shot at her with a roar of outrage, his fist thrusting towards her exposed jaw. She swept her arm around, knocking his strike away at the same she drove her other fist into his cheek.

"That's more like it!" she cried in elation as he was sent sailing backwards again. "Let's do this!" Her aura flashed and she was flying after him, grinning as she brought both hands up, clasped them together, and drove them into his chest.

Ka'bijj plummeted into the smoke from the explosion, and debris flew from the smoke a few seconds later.

"I am Amotto the Super Saiyan!" Her hands were held out, palms facing the ground where Ka'bijj had vanished into the still-swirling smoke and dust. Ki crackled to life and then exploded outwards and lanced down into the rising cloud, sweeping the dust and smoke away as it traveled towards its intended target.

As the smoke was swept away, it revealed Ka'bijj on his feet and prepared for the attack. Both hands swung around as it neared him, connecting with it and sending it careening into the distance. He looked up at her and launched himself skyward as an explosion lit up the horizon.

He was on top of her in an instant, his fists blurs of motion as he struck at her. She shot away from him, her arms blurs of motion as she deflected his blows.

"I told you not to underestimate me!" she crowed as she deflected punch after punch. "I'm not some helpless little girl anymore! If you want to fight me, you need to bring the A-game! I won't settle for anything less!" She caught one of his arms and shot to the side, swinging him around and throwing him to the ground.

Her aura flashed and she shot down after him, driving her knees into his back as his stomach struck the ground; the ground exploded under the force of the strike and she shot back into the air to take in her handy work. Debris rained down all around her as she watched Ka'bijj push himself up slowly, his arms trembling as he shook his head.

_**DBZ**_

Seripa watched wide-eyed as Amotto batted Ka'bijj around like a ragdoll. She had to pinch herself, because she could barely believe what she was seeing.

Or _trying_ to see anyway. The fight was going on at a pace that she just couldn't keep up with no matter how hard she tried. All she was able to track were golden streaks.

"I can barely believe that _that's_ Amotto," she whispered in awe as her eyes darted back and forth trying to keep up with the fight.

Bardock frowned as he, too, struggled to watch the fight. "From what you've told me about her, I'm more than a little surprised, too. One thing's for certain, though: I want that power."

Seripa smirked as she looked at her mate. "Of course you do. I do, too. The power of a Super Saiyan against Frieza? The lizard wouldn't stand a chance."

"I'm not so certain," Bardock murmured, his eyes darting back and forth and up and down. "But it would give us an edge against him."

Seluri approached them, frowning as she watched the golden streaks in the air. Turpin was right behind her, no longer transformed and breathing heavily.

"What I do not understand is how she is beating Ka'bijj. His power felt greater than hers at first."

"Ka'bijj's olda den me," said Turpin as he wiped an arm across his perspiring face. "Ah mebe mo' beat up den 'im, bu' he's still feelin' 'is age 'gainst 'er. Sh' 'as da speed n' stam'na t' figh' all ou'. Ka'bijj don'." He grinned and chuckled. "'E w's countin' on figh'in' me. Dat figh' wou'da wen' mo' 'is way."

Seluri rolled her eyes and cast him a stern glance. "So you are just going to let her fight against him?"

He shrugged. "Why no'? She's o'viously go' da uppa han'."

"For now."

"Nah, ah t'ink she's fine."

"I agree," said Seripa as she returned her gaze to the sky. "Amotto has changed drastically, in both attitude and power. I say she has this under control."

"Ka'bijj has experience that she does not, though," said Seluri heatedly. "He will gain the upper hand and he will beat her."

"'Ave fait', Sel," Turpin said with a grin. "If'n sh' looks t' b' 'avin' trubble, ah'll 'elp 'er ou'. Two Supa Saiyans 're betta den one, afta-all." He chuckled as Seluri rolled her eyes.

"You said yourself that you cannot hold the transformation for long. What help will you be?"

"Ah c'n hol' it lon' 'nuff t' 'elp 'er. One big a'tack's all i' will ta'e."

Seluri frowned and opened her mouth to continue the protest but she noticed Bardock looking off into the distance, frowning. "What is it, Bardock?"

"Am I the only one who senses that big power heading our way?"

Turpin jerked his attention in the direction Bardock was staring and his eye went wide. "Coola!"

Seripa's eyes went wide and she, too, looked in the direction of the power. Her senses had barely registered the power when a silver blur streaked across the sky and both Ka'bijj and Amotto were suddenly slamming violently in the ground with twin explosions of sand and debris. She looked up at the hovering Ice-jin as he glowered down at the fallen Super Saiyans.

Cold red eyes bored into each and every one of the Saiyans looking up at him. He raised his hand up, one index finger pointing down at them as it began to glow purple.

"Pathetic Saiyan trash. What happened to my Armored Squadron?"

_**DBZ**_

_**(I like Turpin as a character, but his dialogue drives me absolutely bonkers. It takes too long to write out. Lol I would like to take a moment to apologize for how late this chapter was. I temporarily put it on hold as I spent time working on my book and dealing with an overabundance of hours at work. On the subject of my book, though…I have officially published the first installment through Kindle Direct Publishing. Go me, yay. Lol The first installment is short, but that's by design for the way I intend to write it. It's…complicated. Anyway, if you are curious you should go check it out. The series title is The Immortal Game and the first installment is called Origin. Check it out, give it a read, and spread the word! And as always, thank you all for reading Witness. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can get it posted.) **_


	30. Losing My Religion (Part II)

_**Chapter Thirty: Losing My Religion (Part II)  
**"Oh life, it's bigger  
It's bigger than you  
And you are not me  
The lengths that I will go to  
The distance in your eyes  
Oh no, I've said too much  
I've said enough..."  
**Losing My Religion-Lacuna Coil**  
_

_**DBZ**_

With a groan Berik touched his forehead as he regained consciousness. He was certain that he was going to have a considerable amount of brain damage by the end of this day. He opened his eyes and went rigid as he came face-to-face with Broco's lifeless body lying atop him. He grimaced as he carefully slid from under the dead man and stood up with a cringe. He quickly, but carefully, returned Broco to the metal slab and covered the man with a fresh white sheet.

Just as he was smoothing out the wrinkles he became aware that there was a battle going on outside as the ship shuddered. He frowned and touched the sides of his cracked glasses and symbols appeared. He froze and his eyes went wide as errors flashed across the lenses indicating that there were powers too high to read in the vicinity. He quickly deactivated the sensor to keep it from overloading and rushed outside.

He froze as he reached the hatch and looked up with wide eyes as he spotted Coola glaring down at the Saiyans.

"Pathetic Saiyan trash. What happened to my Armored Squadron?" he heard the tyrannical alien demand.

Berik's knees went weak and began to shake. He grasped the edge of the doorway as he felt the blood drain from his face.

"Oh gods…"

"Asshole!"

He jerked his attention to the ground to see a golden-haired Amotto climbing to her feet and scowling up at the Ice-jin.

"_I _happened to you precious Armored Squadron! The same thing is about to happen to you for interfering with MY fight!"

Coola's cold red eyes cut in her direction and Berik gulped. Their situation just kept getting worse.

_**DBZ**_

"You? A Saiyan defeated my Squadron? Preposterous! No Saiyan can generate…" Coola trailed off as he got a good look at Amotto. "Wait. Your hair is gold." He frowned as he pointed his glowing finger at Amotto. "You're can't be a Saiyan. What the hell are you?"

"Oh, I'm a Saiyan alright." Amotto smirked as she levitated into the air, rising to Coola's height. His finger followed her the whole way. "I just happen to be a _Super _Saiyan."

Coola's eyes narrowed. "Impossible."

"Oh? Then how did I destroy your precious Squadron so easily?" Her smirk split into a grin as she arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Explain that one."

Coola's eyes traced up to her hair and he scowled. He recalled what his father, King Cold, had lectured Frieza about. He had honestly thought that maybe their father had lost his mind. But he was staring down a golden-haired Saiyan woman. A woman claiming to have killed Sauza, Doore, and Naize.

But there was no way this woman was a Super Saiyan.

"You are not a Super Saiyan." Instantly, a thin beam fired from his finger, his signature Death Beam attack.

Her arm flashed, and the purple beam was sent flying into the distance. "For an Ice-jin that was pretty pathetic. I expected better."

Coola's eyes were wide as he stared at her. "Impossible!" His index finger shone purple and he released a barrage of death beams at her.

Amotto smirked as her arms flashed back and forth knocking every one of them away. "Oh, come on! Is that the best you can do? That Ka'bijj guy was doing better than this!"

Coola ceased his attack and frowned at Amotto. "You have some skill. For a Saiyan," he sneered.

"Says the guy who can't hit said Saiyan."

Coola smirked. "That is not the extent of my power. It has been quite some time since I used my full power. I never in all my life thought I would have to use it against a Saiyan, mind you…" He narrowed his eyes as a red and black aura shimmered into view around his body.

"I don't think your full power is going to help you here, Ice-jin." She narrowed her eyes and raised her clenched fists up. "Your kind owes me for all that you've done to my people. Before this day ends you will be dead. And you will have been killed by a Super Saiyan."

"We shall see, Saiyan. We shall see!" Coola threw his arms out as a shockwave of power suddenly erupted from his body, his aura surging violently as his power escalated.

"A full powered Ice-jin, versus a full powered Super Saiyan." Amotto's aura erupted to life as she summoned every ounce of her power. "I'll kill you for all that you've done! And when I'm done…I'll kill Frieza! I'll kill King Cold! I'll destroy the entire Cold regime!"

"You can try, Saiyan!" Coola lunged forward and slammed his fist into her face sending her rocketing backwards. His aura surged and he flashed forward after her, flipping around to slam his tail across her body and sending her flying into the ground with explosive force.

Before he could chase after her, his head suddenly snapped sideways. He blinked and slowly turned his cold gaze upon Seripa as she hovered before him with her fist outstretched as her violet aura raged with streaks of red around her body.

"That was a pathetic display, Saiyan," he snarled angrily.

"Try this on fer size ya over-grown lizard! Spirit Burn! Multiple Thrice!"

He looked up as Bardock launched a massive blue blast down at him. It slammed into him and carried him rapidly down to the surface of the planet; it exploded, sending debris and sand flying high. The explosion knocked everyone on the ground from their feet and sent their ship sliding several meters backwards.

The debris had not even dropped back to the ground before Coola was flying from the smoke and dust straight for the two of them. "YOU BOTH SHALL DIE!"

Amotto suddenly appeared in front of him and brought both hands, clasped firmly together, down on top of his head as she brought both knees in the bottom of his chin. The Ice-jin's eyes looked ready to explode from their sockets from the strike.

"You two stay out of this!" Amotto yelled over her shoulder, her green eyes never leaving the stunned red eyes of Coola. "This bastard is mine!" The stunned Ice-jin never even tried to block her next attack as she kicked him hard in his gut and sent him flying back down to the ground like lightning.

Seripa and Bardock exchanged a glance before moving to flank Amotto.

She glanced between the two of them and growled. "I said to stay out of this. He's mine."

"You still might need help, Amotto," protested Seripa. "His power is incredible."

"So is mine," she whispered in response as her aura hummed with a slight musical quality.

"I won't argue against that," said Bardock as he glanced at her with a frown. "But we've experienced an Ice-jin's power before."

Amotto spun around too fast for him to see, grabbing him by the front of his battle jacket. She jerked him close, her green eyes narrowed dangerously. "I was BLOWN APART by Frieza! Don't you even try to lecture _me_ on the power of an Ice-jin! I know better than ANYONE here what their power is like! You WEREN'T blown into pieces by Frieza! I WAS! ME! Not you!"

Bardock blinked at her in surprise as her words stabbed into his skull.

"Amotto…" Seripa ventured as she placed a cautious hand on her friend's arm. "He didn't mean anything by it. We're just trying to look out for you."

Amotto frowned and looked at Seripa coldly. "Oh, NOW you're looking out for me? Where were you while I was busy getting killed by Frieza? Answer me that one!"

"Amotto, I-"

"Save it, Seripa. I'm in control here. I am a Super Saiyan. I have the power to kill Frieza, Coola, and Cold. And that's what I'm going to do. You two…" she looked at Bardock scornfully as she released him and shoved him backwards. "You two are in my way." She spun around and looked down at the ground as Coola rose slowly from the settling smoke and dust.

"We're going to help you, Amotto," said Seripa as she frowned.

"No, you're not. This battle has no room for the weak. So shoo." She waved her hand insultingly, her eyes glued to the rising Ice-jin.

Seripa bit her tongue and looked away. Amotto's words stung her. She felt bad enough as it was about what happened to her on Jynn-jin 13, but hearing the way Amotto talked about it was like pouring salt into an open wound. Amotto wasn't like this. _This_ wasn't Amotto, she realized.

She frowned and looked at her friend again. The Super Saiyan transformation must've altered her personality somehow. She hadn't been this way earlier…She was overcome with grief at the time, but now she seemed overcome with anger. In fact she seemed to be radiating anger.

Bardock caught her eye as Coola paused in front of Amotto, his red eyes glaring heatedly at her.

Seripa arched an eyebrow as her mate nodded towards the ground and began to descend. With a last glance at Amotto, she reluctantly followed.

Amotto, meanwhile, was smirking. "You didn't like that, did you?"

"No one has caused me pain since the last time I fought my brother. What you did hurt." His eyes narrowed as a bead of purple traced a trail of blood down the side of his face. "You actually hurt me. You made me _bleed._"

"Get used to the sight of your own blood," Amotto sneered. "It'll be splattered all across this planet by the time I'm finished with you."

"No, I do not believe it will." Coola's voice up until now had been eerily calm. Now, however, it belied a slight quiver. "You've angered me more than enough to sufficiently guarantee that you will draw not a single drop more of my blood. Yours, on the other hand, will stain my hands within the hour."

"Ha, you'll have to fight much better than you have up until now. Quite frankly, you weren't doing too well."

"Allow me to rectify the quality of my fighting by enhancing the quality of my power."

Amotto blinked and arched an eyebrow. "The quality of your power? What does that mean?" She smirked. "Don't tell me you've been holding out on me. You haven't been taking this fight seriously?"

"When fighting Saiyans, one usually does not need to take a fight seriously. You lot are usually so pathetically powerless compared to the likes of me." A sinister smile stretched across Coola's twisted features. "Not you, though. You, a mere Saiyan female, have stepped up and challenged the mighty Coola on what looks to be a level playing field. Looks, however, can be deceiving."

Amotto snorted and folded her arms across her chest. "You expect me to rise to that bluff? You hit me with everything you had earlier and here I am with not a single scratch to show for it, let alone a bleeding wound. Where else could you be hiding power? Your nonexistent genitalia?"

Coola grinned and his red and black aura exploded to full life, black sparks of electricity dancing around his clenched fists as he raised them to his sides. "Your insolence shall be rewarded with a sight no other being has ever witnessed."

Amotto arched an eyebrow. "I so do not want to see your genitals, Coola."

"That mouth of yours is going to be in a significant amount of pain when I am through with you."

Amotto grimaced. "Considering the previous comments, that line could be taken many different ways."

"HYAAH!" An explosion of power suddenly shot outwards from Coola, slamming her forcibly in her chest and knocking her backwards.

She came to a stop and frowned at the Ice-jin as his body flashed repeatedly. "What are you doing now?"

Coola's chest expanded to the point that it looked ready to explode as his eyes shone completely red. His forehead bulged as four spikes stretched out from his skull. Two angled away, running almost parallel with his brow, while the other two stretched towards the sky. The purple bauble on his head rose away from his skull as a boney plate shifted to meld with the spikes. His bones cracked and popped as his arms and legs stretched and bulged. More blue baubles appeared on his wrists and ankles as boney, white spikes stretched out from his forearms.

The black faded from his aura and shifted to completely red. The black sparks of electricity remained, popping ever more frantically as his body morphed before Amotto's eyes.

She had an arm raised to shield her eyes from the stinging winds that had been conjured by the fierce power before her. She frowned as Coola's size more than tripled, making her wonder just how powerful he was becoming.

As Coola suddenly laughed, his voice deeper with an eerie hollow quality to it, two boney plates stretched out of his face with a nauseating squelching noise and slammed into place over his nose, mouth, cheeks, and chin. Hoops made of bone stretched from his shoulders, almost resembling the shoulder guards of a battle-jacket.

"This is the true power of Lord Coola! I am the TRUE Supreme Master of the Universe!" He threw his back and laughed loudly, his voice echoing across the terrain. His aura burned steadily and fiercely as the black sparks continued to dance around him, now lancing from the top of his spikes to the tip of his tail.

Amotto lowered her arm slowly. "So you went from a lizard to a crocodile-"

"A fitting, if rather derogatory, analogy."

"Derogatory? This from the guy that calls US monkeys! That's rich!" Amotto grinned. "All I know is that this monkey right here," she said with a jerk of her thumb towards her chest, "is about to roast your reptilian ass."

"Highly unlikely, but you are more than welcome to try." Coola's eyes narrowed menacingly, the red brightening in a brief flash. "Attack me full force, Saiyan. Try and make this interesting."

"I'll do you one better than that!" Amotto's aura flashed, raging into an inferno in an instant. "I'll kill you!" She lunged forward in an explosion of gold, the distance between her and Coola vanishing in a flash.

Faster than she could follow she was suddenly doubled over Coola's knee, her eyes wide in a mixture of pain and surprise.

"Arrogant Saiyan. We Ice-jins are the gods of this universe. What chance did you think you had against us?"

His fist flashed across her face and she was suddenly slamming into the surface of the planet, the ground violently exploding around her. She lay at the bottom of the crater, her eyes still wide as she stared up at Coola through the dust and the smoke.

"You have disappointed me, Saiyan." Coola chuckled as he descended towards her. "For all your big talk, you've really fallen short."

Amotto's eyes narrowed and she sprang to her feet, taking a guarded stance as her aura erupted to life around her body. "You just took me by surprise! I still have the upper hand here!"

Coola was suddenly standing in front of her and she took an involuntary step back in surprise.

"Whoa…fast," she murmured absently as she stared at him, her aura fading into nothingness.

"What was that? I thought I heard you just say that you still have the upper hand." Coola chuckled as he beckoned for her to attack him. "I would like to see proof."

She arched an eyebrow as her eyes narrowed again. "Proof? Are you insulting the power of a Super Saiyan?"

"You are not a Super Saiyan. They do not exist."

Amotto lunged forward in an explosion of gold, her fist suddenly imbedded in Coola's shielded cheek. Her fists were a flurry of motion as she punched Coola's face excessively. There really was no reason to have to punch someone's face in so many times in a row…

Rapid-fire shockwaves of power erupted with each strike as she steadily drove Coola backwards across the ground.

"Super Saiyans don't exist do they?! Well what the fuck is punching you in the face right now?! Tell me again! Come on, tell me! Do Super Saiyans exist?! HUH?! DO THEY?" Amotto's eyes were wide, her face twisted with feral fury.

Both of her flying fists were suddenly caught in the grip of Coola's massive hands. "What?!"

Coola laughed as he looked at her, his eyes shining with evil mirth. "That was impressive, _Super_ Saiyan. But the legend was quite obviously massively blown out of proportion. Your power is still a joke compared to mine."

Amotto's eyes narrowed again as she growled at him. "You're bluffing…"

"Am I?"

"Y-you have to be…I'm a Super Saiyan…I-I'm not weak anymore…" She looked down.

"If you were not so careless in your expenditure of power, woman, you could be beating him right now."

Amotto looked up to see Ka'bijj standing just behind Coola. The Ice-jin glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "What's this?"

The golden haired Ka'bijj suddenly flashed forward and slammed his fist into Coola's chin hard enough to send him rocketing skyward. He scowled and looked down at Amotto. "Get it together, woman. You have the power of a Super Saiyan."

Amotto frowned as she regarded him. "What's your point?"

The elder Saiyan rolled his emerald hues. "Must the youth always have it spelled out for them? Get control over your form. Your anger and arrogance are clouding your mind and dampening your power. Get your act together if you want to survive this fight!"

She blinked in surprise at him. She scowled. "What do you know?! And why should I even listen to you anyway?!"

"Because I just knocked Coola into tomorrow with one punch, while you have not even put a blemish across that fancy mask of his. And you have already struck him at least several hundred times. Calm down and clear your mind. Then go hit him like that again. I guarantee that he will feel each and every one of those punches."

"Piss off, old man. You don't know anything about me."

"Gods be damned, woman. You are acting like a spoiled teenager!"

"Hey, fuck you!"

"HEY!"

"WHAT?!" Ka'bijj and Amotto yelled at the same time as they both looked up at Coola, who had, in his impatience, shouted at them.

Now, however, he was staring down at them with a stunned expression. "S-stop ignoring me!" he bellowed as he regained his composure.

Ka'bijj snorted. "Fine then." He lunged forward, diving into a full on attack. Coola was prepared, though, as he jumped backwards and began parrying and blocking Ka'bijj's all-out punches.

Amotto stared after them for a moment before giving chase, taking off in an explosion of gold. She caught up to them, flashing up beside Ka'bijj as if she had just appeared out of thin air, and began to deliver her own frontal assault.

Somehow, though, Coola managed to block both her and Ka'bijj's attacks.

"Is that the best that you _Super _Saiyans can manage?" He laughed aloud, his eyes narrowing as he watched them futilely punching him as he rocketed away from them.

The landscape was suddenly dotted with sparse growths of trees sprouting from the surface, and that occasionally was shredded as the massive combined auras of Coola, Ka'bijj, and Amotto instantly tore through the growths in their path like the ravenous teeth of a saw blade. Before they knew it they were tearing a trail through a thick rainforest, trees and animals flying from the force of the shockwave-inducing punches and kicks.

A trail of darkness stretched across the sky as the three powerful fighters dashed across the planet's surface at insane speeds. Amotto was only vaguely aware that the landscape was a rapidly-changing blur as she raced along to keep up with Coola's tremendous speed, her fists and feet a chaotic flurry of motion as she desperately tried to get in a hit on him. For the most part her attention was focused on Coola's face, every single one of her attacks aimed for his glowing red eyes. But no matter how fast her fists flew, no matter how fast her feet kicked, and no matter how much ki she poured into her overall speed, she just…could not…hit!..."COOLA!"

Her angry cry erupted unbidden from the depths of her vocal cords, and her aura flashed as her speed suddenly increased.

Coola's brow arched as he had to get faster and faster and faster, his eyes widening slightly as it became more difficult to block Amotto's and Ka'bijj's attacks at the same time.

A punch broke through his defense and struck him square in his jaw. And then another and another and another until suddenly Ka'bijj and Amotto were pummeling every inch of Coola's body, their auras completely engulfing the three of them in an unstable display of raw power.

"YOU-SON-OF-A-BITCH!" Amotto screeched as she uncontrollably drove her attack onwards, refusing to let up in the onslaught. Beside her Ka'bijj was silent, his gaze focused as his punches and kicks struck Coola's unprotected, powered-up, body.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Coola suddenly bellowed, a shock wave of power emanating from his body with enough force to halt his backwards motion, crater the ground beneath his talons and send trees and boulders flying, and to completely reverse Amotto and Ka'bijj's direction.

They rocketed backwards and slammed violently into the ground, digging trenches in their respective wakes.

Coola hovered in the center of a massive crater, trees flattened and in pieces all around him. Several hundred yards away from him, the two golden-haired Saiyans lay motionless at the end of their trenches. They were now amidst the remains of what used to be a rainforest.

Ka'bijj groaned as he climbed to his feet, rubbing his right shoulder gently. "I am getting too old for this." He glanced to his left as Amotto rose to a crouch. "Are you still set on being a stubborn bitch?"

Amotto looked at him sharply, casting him a glare. "Fuck off, asshole. I don't need your help."

"You are a dense little girl, aren't you?" Ka'bijj sighed. "Stubborn even when death is knocking at your door. It is an initial side-effect of the Super Saiyan transformation. You think this is your true self and you let it control your actions and your emotions. If you would just take a couple of deep breaths and try to calm down, you would begin to see reason."

"As far as I'm concerned you're still my enemy. So fuck off."

"Enemies we may be, but we currently share a common enemy in Coola. It would be beneficial to us both if we were to cooperate and come up with a plan to kill him. Whether you wish to admit it or not, he has outclassed us tremendously."

Amotto frowned as she regarded the elder Saiyan. She was reluctant to admit that he was right. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to see reason. She glanced towards Coola and slowly rose to her feet. She took a deep breath and looked sharply at Ka'bijj. "Well? What do you have in mind?"

"That's more like it."

_**DBZ**_

Seripa stared wide-eyed in the direction that the three titans had vanished into. While she could no longer see them, she could still, quite easily, sense their tremendous powers.

"Whoa…Their powers feel like they're on the other side of the planet…"

Turpin and Seluri touched down behind her. "Tha's prolly 'cause dey 're, Seripa." Turpin frowned as he spread his senses out. "Da powa's at play 'ere 're too big fer ya's t' han'le. Ya n' Bardock need t' git outta 'ere now." He glanced at Seluri. "Ya need t' go wit' dem."

Bardock shook his head. "Not happenin'. Not yet."

"Yeah, we can't leave yet." Seripa shook her head. "I can't leave without Amotto."

Seluri frowned and shook her head. "I am afraid you do not have a choice, Seripa. Coola is much too dangerous. Your friend and Ka'bijj are in way over their heads. We all are. Amotto just was not ready to face an Ice-jin, yet."

"She was'n ready fer da Supa Saiyan powa." Turpin sighed. "Ya two need t' go n' b'come Supa Saiyans. L'rn t' c'ntrol it, n' kill dem lizards."

He turned away from them and took a few steps forward. His golden aura suddenly erupted to life around him, his beard instantly gold and his solitary eye green. "Go now. Coola is d'stracted, but it won' t'ke lon' 'fore 'im t' git back t' dis side o' da plane'."

Seluri stared after him with a pained expression. She sighed and glanced at Seripa and Bardock. "Come, you two. We must leave at once."

"No, Seluri," said Seripa vehemently. "I am not leaving my friend." She shook her head forcefully. "Not this time!"

A thin golden beam suddenly pierced through her chest, exploding from her back.

Bardock's eyes went wide. "SERIPA!" A golden beam suddenly pierced his chest, too and exploded from his back.

"TURPIN!" Seluri screamed as the two of them crumpled in a heap. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Dey'll live. G't dem t' a ch'mb'r. T'was necessary, Sel." He glanced over his shoulder slowly. "Dis'll b' da las' time we see each ot'er." He smiled grimly.

Seluri stared at him silently for a moment. She then sighed and nodded her head slowly. "I understand. Injure them fatally, then heal them. Their powers will spike as a result and this also allows for the withdrawal of their stubborn asses." She smirked as she regarded the scarred up face of the shorter man.

"Ya know me far t' well, Sel. Goodbye." He was gone before she could respond, residual golden flames fading in his wake.

Seluri's smirk remained in place as tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Goodbye, Turpin."

_**DBZ**_

Grogginess…

That was the first thing he was aware of as consciousness flooded his senses. He didn't know where he was. His eyes opened slowly and he found himself floating serenely in a crystal clear fluid. A feeling of perpetual bliss flooded his numbed senses as he tried to peer beyond the ovular glass of his confines.

Slowly his memory began to return and he glanced down at his chest to see a fresh dark blue scar overlapping other, fainter scars. He frowned as he realized what had happened. Instead of being allowed to die, Frieza had ordered him sent to recovery. No doubt the tyrant wanted to subject him to brutal torture as punishment for betraying him.

Zarbon smirked and glanced around, his vision slowly beginning to clear up. He was in recovery alright. The room was dark, though and he could see no technicians. He glanced to his right at another recovery chamber and was only mildly surprised to see Dodoria floating peacefully within. So the fat tub of lard hadn't died, after all. How lucky for him.

Zarbon grimaced as he leaned forward to press the release button. The tank instantly began to drain, dropping down to waist-level in no time. He removed his oxygen mask as the door opened with a hiss, swinging out wide to the side. He knew he wasn't completely healed as he stood up with a pained grimace. But it was now or never if he hoped to survive long enough to assist the Saiyans in the downfall of the Cold Regime.

He had lasted this long…He had lasted far too long and endured far too much at the hands of Frieza for him to risk not taking this opportunity.

Looking around he quickly came across under armor, a battle jacket, gloves, and some boots. Quickly he slipped them on before making his way to the door. It opened upon his approached and he peeked out into the corridor cautiously. Seeing no one he dashed out into the hallway and ducked behind a cluster of conduit tubing running from the floor to the ceiling. He peered around the edge of it, his senses on high alert.

His only chance was to make it to the emergency space pods in the cargo bay. If he could get to those, he stood a slight chance of jumping to hyperspace before Frieza figured out he was gone.

But he had to hurry.

Certain that no one was coming he made a mad dash down the corridor, running towards the elevator that would take him to the cargo bay area. He hammered the button on the wall beside the closed doors, and they instantly slid open. Zarbon dove in as quickly as he could and pressed the button of the cargo bay.

The doors slid shut quietly and the elevator began to descend. Zarbon exhaled quietly as he stood up straight. He took a breath and readied himself for battle, just in case.

But as the doors slid open, Zarbon couldn't believe his luck. The bay was empty. Surprised, but elated, at his odd luck, he quickly set to task booting up one of the pods. Within seconds the pod was fired up and ready to take off. Zarbon climbed into the open hatch and seated himself comfortably in the waiting cockpit.

The hatch closed as he settled into place.

"Computer, access code: Zed, Alya, Roleo dash 2-2 dash 7-3-9 dash 5-1. Emergency override of Cargo Bay hatch. Situation 0-1-3: launch emergency pods." Zarbon smirked. May as well launch them all at once. Sudden inspiration caused him to grin. "Upon launch, initiate Protocol Zero: destruction of crucial secret military technology."

"_Request acknowledged. Confirmed. Launching pods immediately._"

The hatch in the center of the bay opened up, and everything within the cargo bay was instantly swept out into the blackness of space.

As his pod tumbled through the darkness, Zarbon felt a sense of satisfaction as the computer announced the countdown of the self-destruct sequence. He only wished he could see the look on Frieza's face right then.

Blue light engulfed the outside of the pod, slightly obscuring his view out of the solitary red-tinted window. The next instant the pod was in hyperspace and long gone from the aftermath of Zarbon's sabotage.

_**DBZ**_

The bridge was chaos as red lights flashed and alarms blared at deafening volume.

"_Alert. Self-destruction in thirty seconds. Evacuate immediately."_

"What is going on?!" roared Frieza in anger as his men rushed back and forth across the bridge.

"I don't know, sire!" cried one soldier desperately.

"_Alert. Self-destruction in twenty seconds. Evacuate immediately."_

"Shut down the destruction sequence right now!"

"I don't have the clearance!" The soldier's voice raised shrilly, a panicked look on his face. "Someone of high rank initiated it! I can't override their authority!"

"What?! Who?!" Frieza stormed to the console and looked at the screen in irritation. "Bring up information on the last user!"

The screen flashed…

"_Alert. Self-destruction in ten seconds. Nine…eight…"_

Frieza's eyes narrowed…

"_Six…five…"_

"Zarbon…you traitorous bastard…"

"_Two…one…"_

The bridge was bathed in a golden glow…

Frieza glanced around…

And the ship vanished in a bright flash of light, exploding into nothingness…

_**DBZ**_

Frieza floated in the vast emptiness that was outer space, his features twisted in anger. Veins were perfectly outlined at his temples and on his neck. All around debris from his destroyed ship drifted by him, as well as the occasional random body part of a member of his crew. Naturally the explosion had been nowhere near powerful enough to kill him, but it did inconvenience him to a great extent.

As such he was rather pissed off at the moment. He suddenly thrashed around, his black and red aura erupting to silent life around his body as he roared into the blackness of space, his voice swallowed by the vast emptiness. He floated in place, his aura raging silently as he glared at nothing.

He would kill Zarbon once he saw him again.

A random space pod suddenly drifted into his field of vision. His aura vanished and he flared his ki to propel himself towards it.

He would kill Zarbon very slowly the next time he saw him. That was his silent promise he made to the turncoat as he seated himself within the pod and closed the hatch…

_**DBZ**_

Falmer grimaced as he booted up the ship's computer. He still could not believe that Turpin had shot Seripa and Bardock the way he had. Sure, Seluri had explained his reasoning behind doing it, but it still baffled Falmer.

Beside him Diamond booted up the navigation system as the ship hummed to life. Vibrations ran through the hull, shaking his seat as the engines powered up completely.

As the console came to life before him, Falmer booted up the hyperdrive system. Few pilots could make a hyperspace jump within the atmosphere of a planet. It was widely deemed impossible.

But Falmer was not a standard pilot. He knew how to make the jump just right to prevent the ship from burning up, or tearing apart struggling against a planet's gravitational pull.

He lowered the output of the hyperdrive engines as the ship lifted off from the surface of the planet. He angled the nose up, his eyes glued to the screen before him.

It had been many years since he last attempted a jump like this. He only hoped that he wasn't too rusty to pull it off safely…

"Engines at full power…Computer, maximum thrust on my mark…"

Diamond glanced at him with a slight frown, but remained quiet.

Falmer took a breath, offering a silent prayer to whatever gods may have been listening…and exhaled, "Mark!"

The ship suddenly rocketed forward at maximum speed, gluing him to his seat. "Transition to hyperspace on my mark…Mark!"

The screen before him was suddenly filled with an explosion of light, that almost immediately gave way to streaks of white, and then they were flying through the myriad twisting colors of hyperspace.

Falmer's shoulders relaxed and he sighed. "We made it…"

_**DBZ**_


	31. Losing My Religion (Part III)

_**Chapter Thirty-One: Losing My Religion (Part III)**_

"_I thought that I heard you laughing  
__I thought that I heard you sing  
__I think I thought I saw you try  
__Every whisper  
__Every waking hour  
__I'm losing my confessions  
__Trying to keep up with you  
__And I don't know if I can do it  
__Oh no, I've said too much…  
__I haven't said enough…"  
**Losing My Religion-Lacuna Coil**  
_

_**DBZ**_

"You are relying too much on your brute strength. You have an abundance of ki at your disposal. You need to channel that into your strikes the same way you were channeling it into your speed. Do you understand?"

"Of course I fucking understand," Amotto responded in agitation. "I'm not an idiot."

Ka'bijj's eyes narrowed slightly. "You modern Saiyans are a disrespectful lot, aren't you?"

"Do you have a plan or not? I'm getting tired of these lectures."

The older Saiyan rolled his eyes and glanced to where Coola was watching with keen interest. "Coola is much stronger than either of us. I cannot honestly say that I have a plan other than be on your guard and watch for any openings you can exploit. But I do have some advice," he said as he returned his gaze to her.

"Oh yeah? And what is that?" Amotto demanded, her tone dripping with malice.

Ka'bijj sighed. "Youthful stubbornness. It is like talking with a wall."

Amotto's eyes narrowed. "Get to it, old man."

"Clear your mind. Calm the anger that fuels your power, and take control. You are letting your anger rule you and that is asking for trouble. You are high on your power, but you are holding onto your anger as a fuel-source. Let go of whatever pain triggered your transformation, and become a TRUE Super Saiyan, girl."

"What makes you such an expert on MY power?"

"Are you blind, girl?" Ka'bijj demanded in frustration. "I, too, am a Super Saiyan! I was also once a Cleric of the Old World."

"What the hell is a Cleric?"

"Ah, the youth…" Ka'bijj shook his head with a rueful sigh. "You have missed out on your true heritage living under the rule of Vegeta. Clerics were an ancient holy sect charged with the secrets of the Super Saiyan, a power gifted to our ancient ancestors by the gods themselves. Or so the story goes." He smiled sardonically. "The Clerics were simultaneously the religious leaders and the military for our people. Believe it or not, but not all Saiyans wanted to be warriors. Most wanted nothing more than a peaceful life."

Amotto arched an eyebrow and frowned.

"Our ancestors," Ka'bijj continued, "were aware that, despite their peaceful nature, there were unfriendly beings in the universe that would threaten our existence. For example: the Ice-jins. Thus the Clerics were born."

"Is there a point to this story? Or are you wasting my time?" Amotto demanded in a huff. "We have a fight going on here!"

Ka'bijj sighed again and held up a hand. "Have patience. Coola is not going anywhere, and he has quite obviously allotted us time for this conversation." He gestured to where Coola was avidly listening. "Besides, I am fairly certain he is curious about the history of the Super Saiyans." He looked at Coola pointedly, a grin appearing behind his thick beard. "I am fairly certain Cold has not filled him in."

Coola chuckled, his eyes narrowing slowly. "You are correct, Saiyan. My father has not told me much about why your race was to be kept subjugated as it was."

"Your father is an intelligent man; that is why. He was very aware of what our race was capable of; of the incredible powers that we could summon that allowed us to fight on your levels. He was also aware that our population was far greater, even if the average power of our race was much lower than the average power of the Ice-jin populace. He and his peers, at the time, feared our greater numbers. They wanted an empire that spanned the universe and they wanted no competition. The Saiyans of Saintya were one of the races they feared would stand in their way.

"The most important thing that he was aware of, however, was that the Saiyans were isolationists. Our ancestors were a highly advanced race, with a territory that spanned several solar systems. They waged no war and kept to the confines of their territory, though. They knew little, if anything, about the other races in the universe. They were aware of their existence at best, but did not engage in any kind of interaction, preferring to remain withdrawn and focused on their own problems, which were lacking. It was our indifference as a race that allowed the growth of the Ice-jin Empire to reach our boundaries. When they finally did, the Ice-jins had amassed a disposable army that they then used to slowly, but surely, reduce our numbers.

"This happened about six hundred years ago, mind you. This was before the Great War a hundred years ago. No, the first time the Ice-jins came after us, we were unprepared for a war. We were too accustomed to our peaceful lives we had lived up until then. Recognizing the threat of the Ice-jins, our Elders created the Order of the Clerics of the Old World, basing the order off of philosophical teachings thousands of years old. Their idea being to create an army of Warrior-Priest Super Saiyans."

"So your most powerful warriors were also monks?" Coola chuckled and shook his head. "What danger do monks pose? Monks are pacifists! My father was obviously a coward."

"No, you are mistaken. Your father recognized the Clerics for what they were: a threat. They might not have completely posed a threat in terms of war, but in terms of ideology…" He chuckled quietly. "The Ice-jins were notorious for making it clear that power meant control. Well, here was a race that was poised to disprove everything they had been saying. Cold saw a race that was going to introduce a military force that would show that all races could live peacefully and defensively.

"Then he learned what a Super Saiyan really was…" Ka'bijj grinned wide, his eyes narrowing slowly.

"Oh? And what is a Super Saiyan really?" Coola asked with a gruff snicker.

"A Super Saiyan is a being born of pure, unadulterated, merciless rage. Rage so powerful that, when controlled, could be used to great effect; or it could control an individual and create an unstoppable monster of pure power." Ka'bijj looked at Amotto with a frown.

Amotto returned the frown, arching a golden eyebrow slightly.

"So based on what you have told me, it is in my best interests to destroy the two of you here and now?" Coola asked as he folded his arms across his massive chest.

"If you were smart, yes. Especially this one," he said as he nodded towards Amotto, who looked surprised for a moment.

She scowled in response and her emerald hues cut towards Coola quickly.

Coola laughed. "And why is that?"

"She is new to her transformation, meaning she is the most volatile. She is at a critical stage. If she is not careful she will lose control and become a psychotic maniac hell-bent on nothing but destruction, and she _will_ destroy you." Ka'bijj stated matter-of-factly. He then looked at Amotto again and arched an eyebrow.

Amotto's eyes narrowed as she met his gaze. "Why don't I just destroy you?! You think you're so high and mighty, don't you? Well let's go! I'll kill you right now!" Her aura suddenly exploded to life, the ground cracking beneath her feet.

Ka'bijj smiled slightly. "That is enough of that, girl. You're wasting precious energy. Focus your power on the true enemy."

"And you aren't the true enemy? You did show up and attack us! I think you're just as much my enemy as Coola is!" She clenched her fists tightly, her aura pulsing and intensifying.

"Is that so? Well, would you like to fight us both, then?"

Amotto's mouth opened and she froze. She blinked as she regarded the elder Saiyan, arching a golden brow slowly. Her green eyes cut towards Coola and she frowned. Ka'bijj was purposely egging her on and creating a scene. Why hadn't she realized it sooner?

"Do it," Ka'bijj whispered under his breath. She cut her eyes towards him. "Do it. Channel your ki into your strikes. You can do it. Boost your speed, then right before you strike focus all of your ki into your strikes."

"I can't do that," she responded back, just as quietly. "I don't have much experience with ki manipulation."

"Yes, you can," he said gently. "You are a Super Saiyan now. Things you once thought of as impossible are easily possible for you. You just have to do it. It is within your power, and you have the best chance out of the two of us at hurting Coola." Ka'bijj smiled grimly. "It is your youth. Now yell at me again before he gets suspicious."

"Fuck you, old man! Stop with these retarded lectures." She pointed a gold-enshrouded finger at him as her eyes narrowed. "I don't give a damn about what you have to say! Go to hell!"

"Not bad," he whispered with a grin. "Ready?"

"I meant every word," she whispered back coldly. Her eyes cut towards Coola quickly. "Yeah, I guess I am. Was this your plan from the start?"

"Something to this effect. Charge me and at the last second blast Coola full force. Got it?" Ka'bijj shook his head with a sigh, and raising his voice he said, "The youth today have no respect for their elders. Of course, it could just be that you are an emotional woman. Seluri had similar bursts of emotion."

"THAT IS IT!" Amotto suddenly screeched. She lunged for Ka'bijj and slammed her fist violently into the side of his head, sending him rocketing away.

Coola turned to watch Ka'bijj sail away. "Disputes between Saiyans are always entertaining."

Amotto was suddenly in front of him. She brought both hands forward quickly, and yelled, "Entertain this you big fucking lizard!"

"What?!" His gaze snapped around just as a golden beam flashed forward and engulfed him in a massive explosion. Debris and smoke erupted outwards in all directions, and he was thrown backwards violently.

His massive bulk crashed into the ground, which shattered like glass; trees and small boulders flew in opposite directions as he slid backwards through the nearly-leveled forest.

Amotto lunged after him, appearing at his side and driving her ki-charged foot into his ribs hard enough to send him flying in another direction through the ground. She briefly marveled at the fact that her power had reached a point that it was possible for her to change the shape of a planet. She grinned and flashed after the Ice-jin again.

Ka'bijj, sporting a darkening bruise on the side of his head, appeared beyond the Ice-jin and jackhammered Coola towards her.

Her feet hit the ground, digging into the solid stone as she slid towards the out of control Ice-jin. She clapped her hands together above her head, focusing her ki into the tips of her extended index fingers. Green energy shone almost as bright as the sun as she finally came to a stop; her clasped-together hands came down and a thin green beam of highly-concentrated ki flashed forward and slammed into Coola's exposed chest. It exploded violently, a massive dome of green energy expanding out in all directions and sending chunks of rock and debris flying everywhere.

Amotto grinned as her hands dropped to her sides, her chest heaving with exertion. "I bet he felt that."

Ka'bijj practically materialized beside her, his emerald hues cut towards her. "Was it really necessary to hit me that hard?"

"I had to make it look convincing," she replied with a smirk.

"Who were you trying to convince, him or me?" Ka'bijj asked with a grimace as he gingerly touched his bruised cheek.

"Both of you, I suppose." She giggled mock-maniacally as Ka'bijj rolled his eyes.

"You seem to be in a better mood," he said in annoyance.

"I just made Coola my bitch. Of course I'm in a good mood."

"I hope you realize that it is but a temporary victory. He is not yet dead." The elder Saiyan turned his gaze towards the fading dome of green energy, but all he could see were massive plumes of smoke and dust. "You did, however, make him realize that we are seriously dangerous. He may come at us full force now. I am not sure that we can stand against him for long if that proves to be the case."

The smoke and dust was suddenly swept away as a purple beam of energy lanced from the center of the devastation, making a beeline towards Amotto. She barely saw the attack before it exploded against her chest, flinging her backwards.

Ka'bijj cut his gaze towards Coola and tried to raise his guard before the Ice-jin attacked, but his hands had hardly moved an inch before a massive silver fist was colliding with his nose. His head snapped back and he was lifted from his feet, only to have an elbow driven into his gut. His back slammed into the ground, which exploded with enough force to create a crater several meters across.

Amotto skid to a stop several hundred feet way, her eyes closed in pain as she clutched her chest. Her armor, which had already taken a severe beating at Falmer's hands, was tattered and cracked. She grimaced and sat up slowly, small pieces falling loose and to the ground as she leveled her narrowed eyes on the Ice-jin standing over Ka'bijj.

Casting a quick glance down to her armor she momentarily regretted not donning upper-body underarmor.

She dismissed the thought as her green eyes leveled on Coola malevolently. Her aura returned in full force, her ki rising rapidly and powerfully enough to cause the ground beneath her feet to explode instantly. With a violent surging of her ki, she was rocketing across the ground towards the angered Ice-jin.

Coola lifted his red-eyed glare from Ka'bijj and focused his gaze on her.

He appeared in front of her, one closed around her throat and the other clenched tightly into a fist; he punched her in her stomach so hard that the back of her armor exploded from her body. Blood flew from her mouth, splattering across Coola's natural mask. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her.

"You insolent little monkeys. Did you really think you stood a chance against me?" He scoffed as Amotto's eyes turned black and her eyelids drooped to a close. Her hair fell to its normal position and became green.

"I blame myself," Coola sneered as he carelessly tossed her to the ground. "I held too much of my strength back at first."

He suddenly spun around and backhanded Ka'bijj, who had been trying to rush him from behind, into the ground. He shook his head as he made a tsking sound. "Pathetic creatures you are. And you call yourselves 'Super Saiyans.' What a joke."

Ka'bijj pushed himself up slowly, groaning. He looked up at Coola and narrowed his eyes. "Had I any clue about your transformation, I would not be here fighting you." He stood up shakily, taking a ragged breath. "I know my limitations and when to not fight. But, alas, here I stand." He grinned slowly and wiped a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "And here I shall remain until either you die, or I die."

Coola chuckled as he turned to face Ka'bijj fully, leaving Amotto lying forgotten and unconscious behind him. "Fair enou-"

A clubbed fist suddenly impacted the side of his head sending him crashing into the ground, and sliding for several hundred feet.

Turpin touched down lightly, exhaling as he wiped his arm across his forehead. "Ah tho't ah'd neva git 'ere."

"Impeccable timing, Turpin. As always," Ka'bijj said with his grin still in place. "I suppose you have a plan?"

"Don' ah a'ways?" Turpin grinned in response.

"Yes, but they are not always well thought out."

"Ah, true." The shorter man chuckled and turned his single emerald eye to regard Coola, who was standing up and glaring daggers at the two of them.

"So what is the plan, then?"

"T' git dat gal der off'n dis plane'."

"You recognize her potential, too, then?" Ka'bijj asked as he glanced down at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Ah don' know 'bout dat. But ah do know dat she c'n help Se-ri-pa n' Bar-dock figh' Frieza lat'r."

"Hm…You place great faith in your daughter and her mate. Do you think they have what it takes to take down the Cold Regime?" Ka'bijj took a defensive stance as Coola began stalking towards them slowly.

"Yes, ah do. Dey'll b' Supa Saiyans 'fore t' lon'. Soon'r den ah'm guessin', too." Turpin mirrored his former compatriot's stance, his eye never leaving Coola.

"So then our sacrifice will not be in vain."

"Ah'm no' sayin' dat fer sure, jus' yet." Turpin grinned. "Bu' we won' know 'til we do it."

"Turpin, you have not changed in the least." Ka'bijj smiled slightly. "Forgive me for abandoning the cause of the Clerics."

"Nuttin' t' f'rgive, Ka'bijj. Da Clerics was dead. On'y stubbornness kep' me goin' fer as lon' as ah did. Ya n' Sel 'ad da righ' idea." Turpin shrugged. "Oh well."

"No. We should have remained together, as we had planned from the beginning. The three of us were the last. We should have stuck together and helped guide Tettuce. We should have remained together and rebuilt the Clerics as we had discussed. I deeply regret abandoning that plan." Ka'bijj sighed. "Tettuce, however, frightened me."

"He fri't'ned me, too, Ka'bijj." Turpin smiled grimly and looked up at his old friend. "Da boy w's d'ng'rous. Ah saw's it, jus' as ya n' Sel did. Ah jus' chose t' ignore it. N' look wha' it go' me," he chuckled wryly as he gestured at his club-fist and his scarred up eye. "Da boy damn near kill'd me. Ah w's a fool."

"Yes, I agree that you were a fool," Ka'bijj grinned again as Turpin cast him a glance. "But you had the right idea, nonetheless. Tettuce could have been a great warrior and a great Cleric."

"He w's a great war'ior. Cleric….eh, no' so much." Turpin laughed and looked at Coola again. The Ice-jin was less than fifty yards away and still stalking silently towards them. "Ah wond'r why da l'zard ain't attack'd, yet?"

"Perhaps he is waiting for us to attack?"

"Hm, me'be. Fuck it. Ah'm goin' in!" Turpin's aura exploded to life and he lunged forward, his fist flying towards Coola's exposed face.

Coola caught the punch with relative ease, but Turpin's clubbed fist suddenly slammed into his nose. He staggered back and the short man lunged forward to head butt Coola, a shockwave erupting from the impact.

Turpin dropped to his feet before Coola, shaking his head. "Oy, ya's go's a 'ard head!"

"Saiyan trash!" The Ice-jin slammed his elbow into Turpin's face, sending him flying and crashing down to the ground violently.

Ka'bijj appeared, his foot outstretched in a powerful kick. Coola looked up and snatched the man out of the air by his foot and threw him to the ground, which caved in an almost perfect outline of the Saiyan's body.

Ka'bijj grimaced and sprang to his feet. He lunged forward, his fist drawn back.

Coola growled and fired several ki blasts at him, but Ka'bijj vanished. He reappeared and drove both elbows into the top of Coola's head, the impact staggering the Ice-jin considerably. His feet touched the ground and he sprang up, with an explosion of debris, to drive his knees into Coola's chin sending the lizard flying and tumbling into the sky.

He almost immediately halted his flight and charged towards Ka'bijj quickly.

"Oh, damn it," murmured Ka'bijj as Coola rushed him. He brought both hands up and fired a massive blast at the rushing Ice-jin.

Coola effortlessly knocked the blast away and swung his feet around to crash into Ka'bijj's face, sending the elder Saiyan tumbling end over end across the ground.

"Pathetic monkeys!" Coola cried as his massive talons crashed into the ground, sending tremors through the planet. "You will die on this miserable rock today!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The ground quaked violently, cracking beneath their feet.

Coola blinked and looked over his shoulder to see Amotto standing in a deepening crater, her golden aura a raging vortex.

"You are still alive? Pesky insect!"

"I'll show you an insect! Take this!" She suddenly vanished.

The Ice-jin blinked again and looked around. "Take what? You ran away. You pus-"

A gold enshrouded fist slammed into his chin, snapping his head back and sending him rocketing into the sky.

Amotto slammed her feet into the ground and brought both hands up to aim at him. "That was just an appetizer! Here's the main course!" A massive golden beam erupted from the palms of her hands and lanced skyward towards the spiraling Ice-jin. "Eat up, lizard!"

Coola suddenly came to a stop and he looked down at the approaching blast…It slammed into him and exploded violently, clouds overhead being swept away from the force.

Amotto dropped her arms and looked away as the light from the explosion approached blinding levels. As it began to fade she looked up again. "Who's gonna die today, Coola? Ha…not us." She scoffed and then spat a wad of saliva and blood to the ground at her feet. "Don't fuck with Super Saiyans, asshole."

The smoke that had been kicked up by the explosion was suddenly swept away, revealing Coola…holding a massive orange sphere over his head. And it was steadily growing.

"You Saiyans have angered me for the last time today! In my hands I hold your death! It is time I delivered!"

Amotto's eyes were wide as she watched the sphere suddenly double and then triple in size until it resembled a small sun. Coola's massive frame was easily dwarfed by the sheer size of the ball of ki. She glanced around to see that everything around her was bathed in orange light from the sphere of power.

"Shit…" she murmured as she looked up at him again. She sighed and slowly reverted back to her base form.

This was it…

_**DBZ**_

Leta eyed Etapa's empty seat for the third time in an hour, once again wondering where the girl had gone off to. She wasn't necessarily needed on the bridge anytime soon, but her absence was noticed by most of the occupants of the bridge. There were more than a few knowing glances exchanged.

Thinking of Etapa, Leta remembered that she was Broco's sister. She thought of the man's concern for her and Surah, and she smiled. She wondered how he was since they'd all gone their different directions. She wondered if that girl, Amotto, had ever recovered from her injuries. Or Falmer, for that matter.

She wondered about Seripa and Bardock. Shortly after he had spoken with his brother, he had transmitted coordinates to a spot where they were supposed to meet. They were still a day away from where he wanted to meet up the last she checked.

Ever since Turles and Bardock's "conversation" the bridge had been quiet. There had been nothing to report and Leta was enjoying the peace and quiet. She'd had enough stress in recent days to last her several lifetimes.

"Um, Lady Leta?" said Lessbru suddenly.

She glanced at him. "What is it?"

"We're being hailed. And you're not going to believe by whom." He swiveled in his chair to look at her in surprise.

She frowned and glanced at her sister, but remembered at the last second that she had gone to lie down earlier. She shook her head and looked at him again. "Well, who is it?"

"Zarbon," he said as he looked at his console again. Heads turned all around the bridge, with a few audible gasps.

Leta stood up suddenly. "What does he want?" she demanded.

"I don't know. He has only identified himself."

Leta narrowed her eyes. "Fine then. Onscreen. I'll speak with him." She couldn't even begin to guess what Zarbon was playing at here, but she knew it couldn't be good.

The main screen at the forefront of the bridge lit up, revealing the face of the Aotian. He was smiling, rather pleasantly, at Leta.

_"Greetings. As you are no doubt aware, I am Zarbon. I wish to speak with Matron Aurah, of the Gylderian Empire."_

Leta arched an eyebrow at the inclusion of the title. It seemed oddly respectful considering Zarbon knew what had happened to the Gylderian homeworld. She would've expected snide comments and insults, rather than a request such as his.

"I am afraid that that is no longer possible. Lady Aurah no longer exists. You must speak with either me, or my sister Lady Surah. She is now the Matron of the Gylderian Empire."

Zarbon arched an eyebrow slowly. _"Well then. Who are you, and what happened to Lady Aurah?"_

"I am Princess Leta, of the Saiyans. Daughter of Lord Spinac and Cleric Seluri. As for Lady Aurah, it is too complicated to get into. Let us just say that Aurah, as a whole, no longer exists. But she is still very much alive."

Zarbon blinked in response. He obviously had no idea what she meant, or to what she was referring. He cleared his throat. _"I see. I think. I was not aware that Lord Spinac had any progeny."_

"No one knew. I know this isn't a social call. What do you want?" Leta demanded.

The Aotian grinned and dipped his head forehead slightly. _"Of course. Let us get down to brass tax. I am contacting you to tell you that Frieza knows where you are, and where you are going. You can thank Blythe for that."_

Leta frowned. "I shall have to deal with him accordingly. But why are you telling me this?"

_"The second reason I contacted you: I am the leader of the _Galactic Band. _I admit it is not the most inspiring name, but I did not want it to draw too much unneeded attention."_

The Saiyan princess shook her head. "Bull shit. I know better than to fall for such an obvious ploy. Nice try, though."

Zarbon chuckled. _"I expected this reaction. What if I told you that I am in a spacepod, nowhere near Frieza? Or how about this: I initiated the self-destruct sequence of Frieza's ship? He is currently floating in space, most likely very irate." _

"Oh? And how do I know you are telling me the truth? You could be making this all up for all I know."

_"I could be, but I am not. Whether or not you believe what I have to say is up to you. You and I both know that no one knows the true identity of the leader of the _Galactic Band-_"_

"I also know," she interrupted, "that the _Galactic Band _reveals information about the Cold Regime that is largely hidden from the public. Information that can sometimes come only from an inside source. I imagine you were counting on my knowing that to help sell the ploy. As I stated, it will not work."

Zarbon merely chuckled. _"You are an admirably intelligent leader, Princess. You know better than to just outright trust someone."_

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Zarbon. There is nothing you can say or do that will convince me of your-"

"Lady Leta…?" Lessbru suddenly spoke up.

She looked sharply at him and frowned. "What is it, Lessbru?"

"This," he said as the main screen was divided. Half of it was Zarbon's message, while the other half had an image of a large stylized 'G' over a 'B.'

_"I repeat: The leader of the _Galactic Band _has publicly announced himself to be Prince Zarbon, of the extinct Aotian Empire. Again: Prince Zarbon has revealed himself as the leader of the resistance group known as the _Galactic Band. _He is taking credit for all inside information from within the Cold Regime, and he has announced that he has left his post under Frieza. And 'with a bang' as he claims. Verification of this information is still underway, but reports are coming in that Frieza's Cruiser was sabotaged in the depths of space, resulting in the deaths of every single member of his crew. Frieza, of course, was the only known survivor aside from Prince Zarbon."_

The image vanished, and Zarbon's face took up the entire screen again. He grinned as Leta narrowed her eyes at him.

"You've really gone all-out to sell this deception, haven't you?"

The Aotian prince shrugged keeping his grin in place. _"I'm not asking you to trust me. I just wanted to warn you of Frieza, and to offer my assistance."_

"Assistance with what?" Leta asked cautiously, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

_"As we speak, my people are in the process of liberating your Prince Vegeta, as well as the son of Bardock, Raditz. You will be contacted by one of my people, a man named Jeice, who will meet you wherever you feel is the safest."_

Leta's eyebrows rose slowly. "Is that so? How will he feel if we show up in force?"

_"It is to be expected. Jeice will be alone, save for your Prince, his bodyguard, and Bardock's son. I am aware that it is not easy to trust a turncoat, but I have been an enemy of Frieza since before I pledged my loyalty to him." _He went quiet, his expression darkening. He sighed and said, _"I did it to save my people, but I was foolish to believe Frieza's claims. He destroyed my people and tortured me for what felt like an eternity. He believed for a long time that he had broken my Aotian spirit, but he was wrong. I never betrayed my people. I have been biding my time, operating in the shadows to defy him. I felt his power firsthand and knew fighting him outright was suicide. _

He smirked. _"It was tempting, at times, to just end it all. But thanks to your people, Princess Leta, I was able to hold out a glimmer of hope. I have worked towards freedom in the universe, and now I am done working in the shadows. I should also mention that I was found out by Frieza, which is why I am now on the run." _He laughed aloud at that, leaning back in his seat.

"So you were the prince of a race known as the Aotians?" Leta glanced at Lessbru. "Do you know anything about Aotians, Lessbru? I, personally, am unfamiliar with them."

Lessbru shook his head. "No, my lady. Other than that they are extinct, I know nothing."

_"Few do know anything about my people. We were few in number, isolated to a single planet. My people were just beginning to construct spacecraft capable of traveling further than our moon when Frieza's soldiers invaded. We had knowledge of life beyond our planet, but it was microbial! We had seen no evidence of intelligent life…"_

Leta eyed Zarbon in silence, her face devoid of expression as she listened.

Zarbon continued. _"Imagine how we felt when the first intelligent life we meet wants to kill us!" _He laughed humorlessly. _"My people fought, however, and we fought well. We staved off Frieza's lackeys for years. We took prisoners and learned of our new enemy. We learned of the technological capabilities, the Ginyu Force, and we learned of Frieza's great power. As most people do, we underestimated his strength." _He sighed and shook his head slowly. _"We were foolish. Frieza himself showed up and displayed his strength…And gave us an ultimatum. Gave ME an ultimatum: turn over the strongest Aotian, or the entire planet would perish. Comply and my people would survive…"_

He looked up and fixed Leta with an intense stare. _"_I_ was foolish to believe him. I would rather be dead along with the rest of my people, rather than be the last surviving member of a dead race serving that tyrant. Put yourself in my boots, Princess. What would _you _do?"_

Leta was silent as she regarded the silent Aotian. She frowned, her eyes never leaving Zarbon's. She watched for any telltale signs of deception, but could see none. She wasn't ready to give in and buy his tale, but she did know what she would do were she in a similar position.

"I would fight."

Leta looked towards the doorway to see her sister, Surah. She blinked in surprise, wondering how long she'd been listening.

Surah glanced at her and offered a slight smile. She looked back to the screen and walked to stand in front of it, looking up at Zarbon.

"If I were in your position, Zarbon, I would do all I could to undermine Frieza. I would feel obligated to not let my people's memory be tainted with injustice. I would do all I could, through any means necessary, to hurt Frieza any way I could. I, Matron Surah of the last of the Gylderians, believe you, Prince Zarbon of the Aotian Empire, are telling the truth." She bowed her head, closing her eyes.

Zarbon mirrored the gesture.

Leta watched her sister silently for a moment before sighing. She smiled slightly and nodded her head. "I, Princess Leta of the last of the Saiyans, believe you, too." She dipped her head slightly as Zarbon lifted his to regard her in surprise. "I probably should not, but I do. Do not make me regret trusting you, Prince Zarbon."

He smiled and shook his head. _"I would not dream of it, Your Highness." _He bowed his head.

"So what now?" Leta asked, stepping off the dais and moving to Surah's side. "Where do we go from here?"

_"As I said, I will let you decide the coordinates for where you can meet Jeice and retrieve your people."_

"No, no. I mean what else do you have to say? You did not just contact us to tell us this drivel without something else to say."

Zarbon grinned. _"You truly are an admirable leader, Princess! Very well! I intend to gather my forces and publicly declare war against the Ice-jin Empire. It is time the peoples of the universe rose up and defied their oppressors!" _

Leta arched an eyebrow and smirked at him. "I am inclined to agree. But you do realize that is easier said than done, right? Frieza wiped out the two greatest threats to his family's empire: the Flazerians, and the Gylderians. He knew that only those two empires were capable of raising armies to stand against the Ice-jins. No one will fight for a handful of Gylderians."

_"Ah, but Frieza did not wipe out the Flazerian Empire. He merely killed Ryo. Ryo's sister, Maseselyo, still yet lives. And she is not happy with the Cold Regime at the moment. I have been in contact with her and she is more than prepared to begin a full-on assault upon the Ice-jin homeworld immediately."_

Surah glanced at Leta, who met her sister's gaze. "That is impressive, Prince Zarbon." She looked back at him. "Where do we factor into all this, though? The Flazerians and my people were not on the best of terms."

_"A fact that I am well aware of, My Lady," _Zarbon said with a dip of his head to Surah. _"I have spoken with Lady Maseselyo of your plight. She has assured me that she will welcome you and your people as allies and friends. She, too, desires to see an end to the Cold Regime."_

Surah nodded slowly. "I see." She looked around the bridge with a slight frown. "I will join the battle, but my people come first. I wish to see them to a safe planet, far away from the war, so that my people may live on."

"I, too, will join the battle," said Leta. "But like Surah, I wish to see the people aboard this ship safely to our current destination."

Zarbon nodded. _"I fully understand. There is time yet for you to join us in this endeavor. I actually suspected as much, as I would do the same for my people."_

Leta nodded. "Good. We are going out on a limb here, Zarbon. Under normal circumstances we would not believe you, let alone trust you enough to even consider believing you. We, however, do not have much choice."

"We are desperate, yes," Surah agreed with a regretful sigh. "We do, you understand, have to take into consideration your lengthy allegiance to Frieza. We cannot fully believe your story due to this fact."

_"Again, I understand. I have not conducted myself in an honorable manner for these long decades. It was, you understand, necessary to execute such subterfuge."_

"We do," said Surah. Leta nodded agreement. "This is why we will transmit the coordinates to you for where we wish to meet with this Jeice character. Know this, though: the coordinates are predetermined by the fact that we are meeting others there. And the people we are meeting there are more than capable of handling even the famed Ginyu Force, so any deception you may have planned will ultimately fail."

Zarbon nodded. _"When I transmit the coordinates to Jeice, I shall refrain from warning him of your backup." _He smiled slightly. _"I do not ask for your trust at this moment, but I am confident that you shall come to trust me."_

"Just don't make us regret it, Zarbon," said Leta.

_"I promise you, I will not."_

_**DBZ**_

Cold listened to the announcement from the pesky Galactic Band Network, the information site dedicated to spreading any news of the resistance movement known as the _Galactic Band_, slowly twirling a wine glass in his hand. His red eyes calmly watched the dark, swirling liquid as they announced "Prince" Zarbon as the leader. The bridge, as usual, was darkened with a viewing window showing the blackness of space.

Cold stood before this window listening to the reports with an amused smirk. He was not surprised Frieza's personal lackey ended up being the leader this whole time. The better part of thirty years they've dealt with the nuisance of the _Galactic Band_, and all that time the leader had been hiding right under their noses. He had warned Frieza decades ago that his obsession with exotic pets would be his undoing.

Of course he had never expected Zarbon to be the one to be audacious enough to blow up a Cruiser. A small smirk played at the corner of his lips. It was impressive, really. The Aotian had been masterfully deceptive.

Cold, however, was used to deception. Frieza was easily angry about the whole ordeal, while Cold merely shrugged it off. He liked his wits sharp and focused. If he was ever deceived, he could react easier and sooner to such an affront. Frieza could have already dealt with Zarbon if his anger had not clouded his judgment.

If he had to guess, Frieza was on his way to Cold's Cruiser. His youngest was the easiest to predict. Instead of immediately contacting him to report the occurrence, he was waiting until he arrived out of fear of punishment. Cold would come down hard on his son, but not because of the destruction of the Cruiser. He would deal with Frieza for allowing the situation to reach that point.

"Sire…"

Cold turned away from the large viewing window of space and looked at his Communications Officer. "Yes, Auguinti?"

The C.O. dipped his elongated head into a bow. "Frieza is on the com, Sire. He says he will arrive here within the hour."

"I see. Tell him I will speak with him upon his arrival." Cold turned back to the face the view screen, raising the wine glass to his lips and taking a sip of the dark liquid.

Auguinti bowed his head deeper. "Yes, Sire." He straightened up and turned to return to his station.

"Oh, and Auguinti?"

The alien turned back around and bowed again. "Sire?"

"I am assuming there has been no further word from Coola?"

"No, Sire. Not since the transmission cut out."

"I see. Hm. Are you still tracking the Armored Squadron's Cruiser?" He looked serenely upon the remaining liquid in the glass.

"Yes, Sire. I…" Auguinti hesitated.

Cold looked up and out into the darkness of space. "Go on."

"I believe I may have an idea or two of where the renegades are going."

"Is that so?"

"Possibly, Sire."

Cold smiled. Auguinti was one of the rare few crew members that was completely honest. It wasn't out of misplaced allegiance, either. Auguinti loathed all Ice-jins and made it clear. But he had initiative, too. It was he who had decided to spy into the ship to see what was occurring on that desolate rock on the other side of the galaxy. And it was he who had decided to track the ship when he discovered the renegades from Jynn-jin 13 had stolen it.

Of course Auguinti did this all with no intention of telling Cold, but Cold made it a point to always know of everything that was going on upon his ship.

"Which destination is the most likely?"

"It's a planet I've never heard of, Sire. Locally it is known as Earth, and so far I've been unable to find much, if any, information on it. All I can honestly tell you is that the inhabitants are pathetically weak, but fairly advanced. They've recently discovered spaceflight."

"I see. What of the other destination?"

"Another planet I have never heard of. I found old files on it, but they only label it as S.S.T.G. 5."

The glass shattered in Cold's hand, wine spraying all over his hand. He turned slowly to regard Auguinti. "So one of the Training Ground planets still remains? It seems more likely that they will head there. Have the pilot plot a course."

"Yes, Sire."

Cold turned back to the window as Auguinti turned away. "Oh, and have one of the cadets bring me a fresh glass."

"Yes, Sire."

_**DBZ**_


	32. Rise

_**Chapter Thirty-Two: Rise  
**_"_Rise! Throw away!  
__The charade of your life  
__Let the flame of my heart  
__Burn away!  
__Your complacence tonight  
__I command you to rise  
__Wash away! The decay of your life!  
__Feel the light of your eyes  
__Find the way!  
__Through the darkness tonight  
__Fearing no one!"  
__**Rise-Disturbed**_

_**DBZ**_

Cold.

Numb.

Weightless.

Confusion…

Crushing weight…

What was going on?

What happened?

Where was she?

Was she alive? Or was she dead?

Was anyone there?

Why did she feel so weak?

What had happened to her?

Something was wrong. Amotto knew that much, but she was finding it difficult to care. But she didn't know why. She didn't know anything. All she knew was weakness…

_**DBZ**_

She opened her eyes to find her reflection staring back at her, a fresh gash running horizontally beneath her eyes and across her nose. Blood gushed relentlessly from the wound, mixing with her tears and running in rivulets down the smooth skin of her cheeks. She touched her fingers to the wound and winced instantly, quickly withdrawing her hand.

She sniffled and splashed water onto her face from the basin beneath the mirror. The water was already tinted red from her blood. It grew darker as she splashed more and more water onto her face.

She silently cursed herself and her father. Why did she ever want to make that bastard proud? Why had she even _tried_? Even if she had passed the Placement Trials, he still would have scoffed at her. She was, after all, merely a "weak female" as he so often stated. She didn't even like fighting, so this outcome suited her just fine.

She sighed and rested her hands on the basin, looking at her reflection again. Her eyes narrowed and she growled under her breath. Oh, but how she _wished_ she had the power to pay him back for what he did to her face. His claiming it was an accident did not change the fact that he had done it, and that he _had_ meant to do the damage he did.

"Father had high hopes for you, Amotto."

She cringed and glanced over her reflection's shoulder to see one of her older brothers standing in the doorway to the bathing room. "Yeah, and Frieza is a Saiyan. Piss off, Paragus. I'm not in the mood for your shit today." She picked a rag up from the corner of the basin and dipped it into the red water.

The spikey-headed man grinned at her. "Frieza's not a Saiyan, but father really _did_ have high hopes for you. You, being his youngest and last child, were his last hope to inherit the Super Saiyan genes."

"The Super Saiyan is a myth, you know that." Amotto scoffed as she pressed the rag to her wound. "Father's a fool if he actually believed one of _his_ children would become a legend."

"You know father. He always did dream big. He'd have to, of course, to believe you of all people would become a Super Saiyan." Paragus laughed. "I on the other hand happen to believe father."

Amotto turned from the mirror to give her brother a bland stare. After a moment she turned her attention back to the mirror, carefully dabbing at her wound with the rag. "Why am I not surprised? You always did have tendencies that bordered on insanity. Why should now be any different?"

"Mock me now, Little Sister, but I assure you that one of my own children will be the next Super Saiyan."

"I say you're wrong." She winced and looked at the rag.

"Oh yeah? What makes you so certain?"

"Well, for one, you're an idiot. You're also gullible. And you always were boisterous. This is just another of your bold claims that will never come to fruition." She dropped her rag into the basin, which was now completely red, and grabbed a fresh one.

"I beg to differ."

Amotto turned to face him, "I'll be a Super Saiyan before any of your children become one. Super Saiyans do NOT exist!"

_**DBZ**_

She found herself staring up at a massive sphere of energy that was bearing down on her rapidly. She felt an overwhelming sense of despair as fear gripped her soul. What could she do against power like that?! She was going to die! She closed her eyes and looked away…

_**DBZ**_

"Ow! Father, please! Stop! OW!" The scream burst forth unbidden as her father's massive hand struck her back. The pain was excruciating. Her father was a seasoned warrior and she was just a little girl…Why was he hurting her so? He was holding nothing back…

"Worthless scum! Yer less than trash!" His hand flew again like lightning, connecting with her cheek and sending her flying across the room and into the wall, before dropping like a sack of potatoes to the floor.

She was a little girl…

Why would a father hurt his child like this…?

"Yer no better than yer whore motha! In fact, you're _worse'n _yer whore motha!" Her father hiccupped and took a long draw from a dark bottle grasped tight in his scarred hand. "Yeh…yer worse'n yer motha. You's won't be any dif'rent den her." His words slurred and he swayed dangerously.

She looked up at him through her tears, her bottom lip trembling. Her knees shook as she held shivering hands to her stinging back. "Why, papa? W-why?"

"SHUDDUP!" he roared as he chucked the bottle at her.

It exploded into a thousand pieces against her skull…

_**DBZ**_

She collapsed backwards onto a cushioned surface, stars dancing in the field of her swimming vision. She tried to roll over, but strong hands roughly forced her to her back.

Panic swelled up in her as warm air brushed her neck, flowing up to her ringing ears.

A deep, cruel voice whispering slowly, "Your father made the arrangement with my father…You are rightfully mine."

"No!" she whispered pleadingly. "No, no, no! Please no!"

"You're mine, Amotto. All mine…" His bare flesh pressed against hers, his solid frame unyielding as she thrashed beneath him in vain.

"No!" she sobbed, tears staining her cheeks. She tossed her head side to side as he forced himself on her…

"NNOOOOOOO!" she shrieked into the darkness of the room, red filling her vision…

_**DBZ**_

Always weak…

Never strong enough to fight back…

Always helpless…

_**DBZ**_

She hit the ground hard, jarring her already sore body. She looked up as the blue-skinned alien aimed his arm-cannon at her head…Her eyes widened and the familiar feeling of fear swept through her, panic making her heart race…

A bald, one-eyed man appeared from nowhere ki-blasting the alien's head into dust.

He turned to look down at her as the alien collapsed.

His eye widened slowly, his lips parting slightly behind a thick goatee.

She stared up at him in stunned silence…

His hand extended…

She took it…

A blinding light as she rose slowly to her feet, her grip tightening in his…

_**DBZ**_

"Broco…"

Amotto's gaze snapped up at the onrushing Supernova. It bore down on her, hurricane-force winds whipping up as it rapidly approached the ground. Cracks split the surface of the planet, pillars of stone rising forcefully from the insanely high energy levels.

Her eyes narrowed and she spread her legs, taking a wide stance. Her hands came up, palms extended towards the massive sphere. She ground her teeth together as muscles all over her body slowly bulged.

"No," she whispered. Her gaze intensified, her eyes lightening to green.

Calmly she focused her gaze on the sphere as her aura exploded to life around her body, her hair standing straight up in a rush of gold.

She summoned all of her ki, her mind oddly serene as she watched Coola's attack bear down on her. She shook her head slowly, but defiantly. "Not anymore," she whispered.

_**DBZ**_

"Well if it isn't little Amotto." Paragus grinned as she approached the wall of glass he was standing before.

She rolled her eyes as she stopped before him. "I heard the rumors. I had to come to make sure you weren't spreading lies." She held up a scouter for him to see.

He smirked and stepped aside, gesturing toward the glass. "Be my guest."

She grimaced at his confidence and stepped to the glass, holding the scouter to the side of her head. She activated it and looked down at a shaggy-haired infant sleeping peacefully in his cradle. It beeped once before the number 10,000 rolled into view.

She deactivated the scouter and looked sourly at Paragus. "How the hell did your weak ass produce this?"

His grin widened. "Didn't I say it already? My child will be a Super Saiyan!"

"He's a freak of nature."

"Oh, Amotto's got some bite these days. Do you need to be taught a lesson?" Paragus reached for her shoulder…

She batted his hand away and fixed him with a glare. "I came to say goodbye, Paragus. I'm leaving _Vegeta_ for good. I joined a new crew. We're to go on a five year exploration mission through frontier territory. I'm washing my hands of you and everyone else in this depraved family. I'm done."

She turned her back on her elder brother and walked away.

Paragus laughed at her back. "Ah, good riddance to ya! You never were anything more than scum anyway! Brolly is better off not knowing you! I'd hate for him to grow up knowin' he has a weakling for an auntie!"

Amotto stopped. She turned slightly and glanced back at him over her shoulder. "You all would know a thing or two about scum wouldn't you? We are blood-kin, after all. It's an unfortunate fact of life that you can't choose who your blood-kin are."

She turned her back on him for the last time and walked away…

_**DBZ**_

Power flooded Amotto's tiny frame, her bulging muscles further ripping her already ravaged under armor. She summoned everything she could muster, but it was considerably lower than what she had generated upon first attaining her transformation. She'd had several opportunities, though, to expend large amounts of her ki. She'd put her Super Saiyan body through the ringer…

The orange surface of the sphere suddenly impacted her outstretched hands. She immediately flared her ki against it in an attempt to stop it, but its momentum forced her backwards.

The ground exploded as the ball of death connected with it; the ground beneath her feet disintegrated as she was carried backwards. She strained against Coola's awesome power, veins and tendons rising against the taut flesh pulled tight across her rippling muscles. Her aura surged and brightened, flaring and whipping madly like an out of control fire.

She refused to give up…Not today. She'd endured so much in her life and she hadn't given up, yet.

She wasn't about to start today. This wasn't the first time the odds had been stacked against her.

She dug her feet harder into the ground, her muscles erupting in spasms and screaming in protesting pain. Her bones felt on the verge of snapping like twigs, but she endured. Her teeth ground together, spots of red appearing in her vision as blood vessels erupted in her eyes. Her aura began to brighten, bathing her entire body in an eerie greenish-gold color.

She dug deeper into her core, searching for more power. She pushed with her arms against the Supernova as her legs pushed against the ground, twin trenches stretching a rapidly vanishing trail across the ground…

She refused…She refused…

Her aching arms and legs trembled violently, weakness rapidly spreading through her body. The Supernova's intense heat scorched her, her battle-jacket flaking away as her armor curled and vanished into ash as more and more of her ki was spent…

And yet her aura burned brighter…and brighter…

Burning intensely, matching the brightness of Coola's attack…

Two titanic light shows of raw energy…

The Supernova carried on against her, its girth dropping deeper and deeper into the planet the further it pushed her backwards…

And still she refused to relent…

_**DBZ**_

Ka'bijj groaned as he opened his eyes. He rolled over onto his back and held a hand to his head. Coola sure packed a punch. He had a severe headache and no idea how long he had been out.

"NOOOOOOOOO! I REFUSE!" A screeching cry pierced his pain-wracked consciousness and he sat up quickly. His eyes widened as he beheld the incredible spectacle before him: Coola's Supernova attack reshaping the landscape and Amotto, a golden speck shining with the brilliance of the sun, clinging tight to it as it careened out of control across the planet's surface, rapidly carrying her further and further away from him and Turpin.

Coola had launched his most powerful attack on Amotto, but somehow she was keeping it at bay. She was steering a level of power that should have already disintegrated her body.

Ka'bijj stood up slowly, his mouth dropping open. He was stunned, to say the least. Not because of the incredible feat, but because of what he was seeing…

Or not seeing, as far as Amotto was concerned. He could sense that it was her, but all he could see was a raging golden aura burning against the surface of the massive orange sphere. He could just barely discern the vague outline of Amotto's body through her aura, but the details were obscured. All he saw was her power gone raw and unleashed. He could feel her ki fluctuating rapidly, rising and falling as the Supernova shoved her across the landscape.

He noted that while she had been unable to stop the Supernova completely, she had managed to divert its direction away from the planet and _across _the planet's surface. It was incredible! He had not ever expected the girl would have _this_ much potential. What she was doing was entirely within the realm of possibility, even for an outclassed warrior such as herself. But it took a degree of ki control that she, herself, had admitted to not having. What she was doing should have been impossible for her, but she was doing exactly what Ka'bijj had told her: she was making the possible the impossible.

"Oy…Fuck me runnin'…" whispered Turpin as he came to Ka'bijj's side holding the side of his head. "Dat gal wou'da made a helluva Cleric."

"Yes. She would have made Master rank in less than five years, I believe."

"Yea. So's 'ow we's s'poss'd ta git 'er offa dis plane'?" Turpin glanced sidelong at Ka'bijj.

"I knew your plan would not be thought out." Ka'bijj rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Thank the gods I knew this would be the case when you mentioned it. My space pod is en route. One of us will have to distract Coola while the other incapacitates the hothead."

Turpin arched his unscarred eyebrow. "She's all yers, Kabby."

Ka'bijj grimaced at the nickname. "And here I was hoping you had forgotten that ridiculous name."

"Fuck no!" Turpin guffawed. "Ah cou'd neva fergit da looks on yer face! Dey w's pr'celess!"

The taller man frowned. "You never learned how to grow up, I see." He suddenly smiled. "I suppose it is just as well. I would hate to feel like I was dying with a stranger."

"An' yer still a stick n' da mud. Win-win fer bot' o' us!"

"It is always a case of winning at losing when dealing with you, my old friend."

"D'pen's on yer per-spec-tive," Turpin replied with a chuckle.

Ka'bijj laughed and looked up into the sky. "My pod should be here any minute now."

No sooner had the words left his mouth, that there came a sudden and massive explosion. It swept him and Turpin from their feet and into chaos.

_**DBZ**_

A little girl, Amotto, stood silently as she regarded a hologram projecting from a small cube in her palm. She stared at the smirking woman that hung suspended in miniaturized form in midair. Tears dripped silently down her cheeks, her expression stoic.

"Mother," she whispered. "You were the only one there for me. You were the only one that defended me."

She closed her eyes and her shoulders trembled, her voice cracking. "Most days I can't endure. Not without you. You made me feel normal. Like there was nothing wrong with me. But there's something wrong with me. You didn't see it, but papa does. He points it out every day, as always. Only now you're not here to shut him up. You're not here to see the things he does to me."

"I miss you, mama." She stifled a sob. "I miss you so much it hurts. But I won't let you down. Weak or not, I'll never be helpless. I won't give up without a fight. Even when my bones are shattered and my spirit is broken, I will keep my promise to you. I love you, mama. I love you."

"And I know you love me, mama. I know this…no matter what papa says, I know you love me still. Wherever you are now."

She opened her eyes and smiled slowly. Her lips trembled as she grasped the cube between both hands and squeezed it.

_**DBZ**_

_ "I am weak and I am having a hard time accepting that fact. I want to help in this war, but the fact remains that the fighting is just beyond my level. Frieza is far too powerful. The Ginyu Force is far too powerful. I want to help, but I can't allow myself to be overcome with that feeling of helplessness. I can't allow my judgment to be clouded and jump headlong into a fight that I know I cannot win._

_ "Which is exactly what you are doing, Amotto. Granted you are much more powerful than you were before, the fact remains that you still are not powerful enough to fight Frieza. You should have accepted that you could not fight Falmer. You need to accept that there are forces out there that are far more powerful than us. I don't want to see you get yourself killed, Amotto." He offered up a slight, sad smile. "You're smarter than that…"_

"Broco…" Amotto heard his words plain as day, but she knew he was nowhere near. And still she found herself looking around.

The light of her own aura blinded her, so she could not see the massive ball of death at her fingertips. She narrowed her eyes at it anyway.

_I do accept that there are forces greater than me. But I don't accept that they'll overcome me. I'm sorry, Broco. I recognize the obstacles before me, but I made a promise that I intend to keep. I won't ever give up without a fight. I refuse to!_

_ "Yer motha was weak. Yer no diff'rent. Scum, the both of ya."_

Amotto's eyes widened. Then they narrowed.

_"Ya'll neva be more than scum!"_ Her father's voice hiccupped. His words slurred._ "Placement Trials my hairy ass! What's Frieza want with a weaklin' like ya!"_

She closed her eyes and shook her head. _I won't listen to you!_

_ "Give this foolishness up, girl. Weak like yer motha. Ya'll die like 'er."_

_ Like hell I will! I'm through listening to you! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!_

_ "Why do you persist, Amotto?"_

_ Shut up, Paragus!_

_ "You don't have the strength. You don't have the power…My infant son has more power in his tail than you have in your entire body."_

She opened her eyes, and focused them straight up to where she knew Coola was hovering.

_"You failed your Placement Trials, so now you want to go off and be an explorer. You'll die out there. The frontier is no place for a weakling like you. Give it up. Give up this endeavor of yours. Just…give it up, Little Sister."_

"NOOOOOOO! I REFUSE!" she screeched at the top of her lungs, blood spraying from her mouth as she lacerated her vocal chords. Her aura pulsed and surged, and she focused all of her ki into her arms and legs. Her muscles burned with the heat of a thousand suns, threatening to tear apart as she strained against the Supernova. He bones ached, her joints popping rapidly as she shoved back against it. She felt a shudder go through it...

Then she felt a tremendous pressure as Coola apparently poured more energy behind it, and she felt it beginning to overcome her.

_NO! _Panic rose within her as her heart raced. No! She couldn't be overcome! No! She refused to let it snuff her out! She refused to die so easily!

"I WILL NOT DIE WITHOUT A FIGHT!" she rasped out hoarsely. She felt a quick stab of anger at herself…

Her anger began to build…

_Oh no! No! Not now!_

But she couldn't help it. Her anger rose, the pressure building within her chest. Everything she'd been angry about before flooded her mind in rapid-fire succession. The anger spiked, building more and more. She tried to fight it. She tried to let go.

She had the control! She was Amotto!

Her mind went blank suddenly, and she felt an eerie stillness. Her emotions faded to whispers, the sounds of the raging battle fading to nothingness. She was calm. She was collected.

Then the flood came…

Power erupted from the center of her core, rushing out in all directions in a massive explosion…

Her last sight to behold was Coola being swept away like an insect in the wind…

_**DBZ**_

Zether stretched his arms out wide as he strolled onto the bridge. "Mmm. What'd I miss?"

Falmer glanced at Zether silently. He looked at Diamond who shook her head.

Zether blinked. "A lot?"

"You can say that," Falmer said with a sigh. He leaned back in his seat, fixed Zether with a steady gaze and summarized all that had happened while Zether was in recovery.

"No shit?" was Zether's reply. "I always miss out on the fun." He sighed. "What a waste for Amotto to die like that, though. She had potential. The girl was relentless."

"She was," said Diamond quietly.

"She was also bat-shit insane."

Falmer looked sharply at Zether and frowned. "Though you have a point, that comment was tasteless."

"Why? She's gone, it's not like she's going to be offended by that."

"That's not the poi-" The ship suddenly shuddered violently, all the lights suddenly going out.

Falmer pushed himself up to stand, but was suddenly floating up to the ceiling. The emergency lights came on and he reached out a hand to stop his ascent against the ceiling. He looked down at Zether and then Diamond in surprise.

"What was that?" Diamond asked as she tried to boot up the computer. "The system is down. We're…uh oh."

Zether glanced at her. "I don't like the sound of that."

"You shouldn't. We're still in hyper space."

"Wait, what? How the hell is that possible?"

"Damn. That is not good," Falmer said quietly as he pushed himself down towards his seat. He caught the backrest and maneuvered down in front of his console. "Let's see…It is possible, Zether, because of the fact that hyper space is another dimension of space."

"Don't patronize me. I know what hyper space is. But aren't the hyper drive engines designed to automatically return to space Standard in the event of a malfunction?"

"Usually, yes. In this case something disrupted the entire system, including the hyper drive failsafe." Falmer frowned as he inputted several commands into his dim console. "A massive shockwave. The history shows that we were hit by a shockwave…" he trailed off, frowning suddenly. "But that…that is impossible."

"What?"

"The shockwave…seems to have been moving at the speed of light. Maybe even faster." His eyes widened. "And it is still accelerating! It literally tore a hole through space and time…That was why we felt it…That…I have no words…"

"What was it? Do you know?"

"No. I will not be able to figure out what it was until our systems are back up and running. Even then, that is the last thing on my mind. I have to figure out a way to drop out of hyper space before we move too close to a black hole."

"Refresh my memory, brother. Why would we get too close to a black hole in hyper space?" Zether asked warily.

Falmer sighed and glanced at his younger brother. "You never studied, did you?"

"I did study. You try and retain information after getting hit in the head by Tettuce."

Falmer rolled his eyes. "Hyper space is constantly shifting. It is more accurately described as tunnel space, because we are essentially traveling through a shifting tunnel. Some refer to these tunnels as worm holes. Hyper drive engines create miniature black holes to open up a worm hole. As we travel through hyper space, and without inertia or friction we are still traveling as fast as when we had power, we pass by intersections. Some of these intersections are very near to full size black holes. The miniature ones are not powerful enough to crush our ship, but the big ones..." he trailed off as he fixed Zether with a stare.

"The big ones will turn us into atoms…Right. Were we near to any of these intersections?"

"I tracked three before you joined us. We should have already passed one. We were still some distance from the other two."

"And you don't know if either of those two are near black holes, do you?"

"No, I do not."

"Well, what do we do then?"

"We must restore power."

"And then we'll be good, right?"

Falmer shook his head grimly. "That, I do not know. Whatever that surge was might have fried the engines. If we ca-" The ship suddenly shuddered again, considerably more violent than before, and the lights came back on.

There was a loud hum and then a slight shudder. Falmer blinked down at his console. "Power…restored. And we are back in space Standard."

Zether frowned. "Well…that was easy."

"Yes. Hm. The speed of the first shockwave was obviously too great for the computer to keep up with. It literally had no idea what hit it."

"Was that a joke?"

"It was an attempt, yes."

"Dude…don't do that again. That was not funny. That wasn't even a stab at a joke. You completely missed the mark."

"Thank you, dear brother, for pointing out what I could not see." Falmer rolled his eyes.

"Will you two quit your bickering," said Seluri as she walked onto the bridge. She glanced between the two of them sharply. "What just happened?"

Falmer cast his brother a sour glance as he told Seluri what had happened.

"Well, what caused it?"

"I do not know. The computer cannot determine what it was because of how quick it occurred. It barely registers as happening at all." He frowned. "The navigation systems were reset."

"That is fine. I want you to alter our destination anyway."

He glanced at her. "Why?"

"Bardock and Seripa have training to do. You should be able to find the coordinates for the planet. Search S.S.T.G. 5."

Zether looked at her suddenly. "How do you know that planet?" he suddenly demanded.

She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "I should ask you the same, Gylderian. S.S.T.G. 5 is the last of the training grounds of the Clerics of the Old World."

Zether frowned. "S.S.T.G. 5 is where our ancestors went for the Gylderian Writ of Passage."

Seluri blinked. "Don't you mean the 'Rite' of Passage?"

"No, Writ of Passage. R-I-T-E."

Falmer grimaced and face-palmed. "Zether…That is 'rite' you buffoon. 'Writ' is W-R-I-T."

"Really? Huh. Dad pronounced it 'Writ.' And how do you know about the Rite of Passage, Saiyan?" He glanced at her with a frown.

"I am cultured, unlike you obviously." Seluri grimaced as she regarded the young man. "The Rite of Passage is what Clerics of the Old World once had to endure in order to become a Cleric. It spanned multiple planets, though. Ten, to be exact."

"Hm. Well, the Gylderian Rite of Passage only took place on S.S.T.G. 5, if I'm not mistaken," said Zether. "I honestly can't say, though. My father was the first Gylderian in centuries to undertake the Rite. He researched it his entire life, but a lot of what was known about the Rite was destroyed centuries ago. He had to piece everything together from legends and myths. He was convinced that legends of our people undergoing transformations were based on fact, based on the examples of other races that were able to transform. He figured that since there were so many races that could do it, that it was a common result of evolution."

"How old do you think those legends are?" Seluri asked slowly, her eyes narrowing as a curious expression came over her features.

"Hm…I'd say the oldest dates back almost 1500 years. Why?"

The former Cleric glanced down to his waist. "You do not have a tail."

"Wait, what? Of course not. I'm a Gylderian, not a Saiyan!"

"No," said Falmer slowly, "but some say that our race once had tails. As recently as 5000 years ago, even."

Zether glanced sharply at his brother and shook his head. "Don't even mention those fanatics, Falmer. Flash-evolution is just nonsense. Adaptation takes time. Even I know that."

Falmer met his brother's gaze, but spoke to Seluri, "Are you suggesting our races are related?"

She shrugged. "It is possible. 5000 years is a long time. A lot can happen in that amount of time. How long has your race been technologically capable of space travel?"

Falmer looked at her and said, "Long enough for us to have inhabited at least a dozen different worlds. Even the Gylderians are not immune to internal strife. We have experienced many civil wars that have ravaged planets. Our most recent one, which occurred about 2000 years ago, is the only one that is recorded in its entirety. The others are only mentioned. The last war, we assume, is how we lost much of our information on the Rite. At least, that is what our father assumed."

"I see. It is possible our races are distantly related. The planet I hail from is not the same planet Seripa and Bardock are from. I hail from Planet Saintya. My people inhabited that planet for longer than our history recorded. But it was not our home planet. We do not know where our original planet was, or even what it was called. All we know is that our ancestors made Saintya our home because the star system it was in had numerous planets that were capable of supporting life. It was perfect for our isolationist mentality."

"Saiyans are isolationists?"

"We are also naturally pacifists, if you can believe that," Seluri said with a laugh.

Zether laughed. "I don't believe that. There's no way."

"It is true," she stated matter-of-factly. "My people abhorred violence. We loved to fight, yes. But it was competition for us. We did not fight to kill. We fought to win, without killing. The whole reason the Order of the Clerics of the Old World was established was to defend our people. We did not kill anyone until our Great War. A war that pitted Saiyans against the Ice-jins." She frowned and looked down.

Falmer arched an eyebrow at the dark look her eyes suddenly took on.

"I remember my first kill. To take a life was such an alien concept to me. When I killed that young Ice-jin, I-" She stopped, her voice catching. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, killing was not something we could really comprehend. Why would anyone want to kill?" She chuckled dryly. "We learned of many reasons why when we faced the Ice-jins. Our people were not prepared for such death and destruction. The first war had been a test of our strength. The second war…the one that began the very day I became a Cleric…That one destroyed my people's souls. That was when we truly got an understanding of what killing was…"

She sighed. "The Ice-jins slaughtered my people…Cold himself destroyed Saintya and sent his lieutenants to destroy our Cleric training grounds…Taking out most of the Clerics in the process…Our only military force."

"Ah, that answers my next question. So the Clerics were the military?" asked Zether.

"Not exactly, no. Clerics of the Old World were an order charged with defense. A military goes to war, but the Clerics were posted throughout our territory and ordered to defend different sections. For years after its inception, the Order staved off enemy attacks with minimum casualties…But as I said before, that all changed when the Ice-jins came full force. They blew through our defenses in no time and scattered our people."

"Is that how Vegeta came to be in power?"

"Yes. He was a usurper. He had attempted a coup de tat, but spies helped to prevent that. He was highly ambitious and convinced his family was descended from ancient royalty." She shook her head. "He was delusional, though. Just a foolish, albeit somewhat charming, man."

Falmer arched an eyebrow. "I would deign to call that man charming. I met him a few times. He had the personality of an Ice-jin."

Seluri grinned. "Yes, that is an accurate description. But as I said, he was delusional. He took his most loyal followers-"

"He had followers?" Zether said incredulously.

Seluri scoffed. "Yes, he did. They were all idiots, though. But they were enough to allow Vegeta to create his own "empire" under the rule of Frieza when that time came. Our Elders foresaw this. They knew the Ice-jins, being power hungry monsters, would want to keep the Saiyans in check and out of the way. They did not want the competition or resistance. They were more than willing to start a massive campaign against us and…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

"I think that is enough. So…ahem, we are going to S.S.T.G. 5?"

Seluri looked at Falmer and nodded. "Yes. It is the only place where Seripa and Bardock can get the necessary training in order to become Super Saiyans themselves."

He nodded and set to work. "ETA is…two days."

"Good. They should be out of recovery by then."

_**DBZ**_

Berik looked down at Broco's lifeless body, his expression somber.

"You deserve a better send off than this, my friend. I am sorry that Amotto could not be here." He sighed and stepped away from the chamber within which the lifeless body lay. He pressed a button, and a metal door slid up and sealed the body off.

Seconds later there was a roaring sound, and Berik sighed again. "I would have preferred to give you a proper burial. But I cannot allow your peace to be prolonged any longer. You are free from the trials and tribulations of this existence. Rest peacefully, valiant Saiyan Warrior."

The roaring suddenly ceased and the door opened slowly, faint wisps of smoke issuing from within. Berik lowered his gaze when he saw that the body was gone, completely incinerated into oblivion.

_**DBZ**_

Ka'bijj stared down at Amotto's unconscious, naked form. His eyes were wide, sweat beading down his forehead and cheeks.

"What she did should be impossible."

"Ah 'gree," murmured Turpin. "W'en's yer space pod gonna be 'ere?"

Ka'bijj gestured to his left and Turpin looked sideways as a pod slowly settled onto the flattened ground; whatever Amotto had done at the end had completely devastated the surface of the planet for further than the eye could see. Where there had once been trees (which were admittedly sparse after the powerful clashes earlier) there was now only flat land.

Whatever she had done had also briefly incapacitated Coola: he was lying unconscious several hundred years away.

The taller Saiyan knelt down and gently scooped her into his arms. He frowned at how frail she felt. "So powerful, and yet so delicate. She is the ideal candidate for Cleric."

"Back 'n da day, me'be." Turpin eyed the girl curiously. "Wha' d'd she do?" he asked as he glanced around at the swept over landscape. "Wh're'd dat powa c'me fr'm?"

"I do not know," Ka'bijj responded as he started towards the waiting space pod, Turpin following. "But she is definitely a special woman. It drained her to nothing, but she completely obliterated Coola's Supernova."

"Ya don' t'ink…?" Turpin asked slowly, frowning as he paused.

Ka'bijj paused, too, and glanced back at him. "I do not know. But if the ancient legends are true, then she just became the first Saiyan in almost 3000 years to break the limitations of Super Saiyan."

"Den dat means…"

Ka'bijj frowned and started back towards the pod. He was silent as he gently deposited Amotto into the waiting seat.

He booted up the life-support system and looked over his shoulder at Turpin. "I am afraid so. That means this girl has achieved the Second." He turned back to Amotto and carefully slipped an oxygen mask over her face. Then he jabbed an IV into her left arm. He entered some commands into the computer carefully, adjusting the settings for Amotto's critical state.

Ka'bijj glanced at the silent Turpin to see an expression on his face that suggested he was trying to wrap his mind around that.

"Does this surprise you, Turpin?"

"Yeh, i'does, ac'u'lly."

"Why does it surprise you?"

"Yer s'gg'stin' dat der's a f'rm b'yon' Supa Saiyan. Yer s'gg'stin dat der's a s'quel t' dis ni'tmar'!"

"A rather…simple way of putting it, but yes. I am suggesting that there is a Super Saiyan Second."

"Supa Saiyan 2…"

"Yes," Ka'bijj said with a hint of irritation to his tone. "Are you quite done playing this little word game?"

Turpin grinned. "Ah s'ppose. Ya's a'way's gotta ru'n mah fun." He laughed.

Ka'bijj shook his head, and then looked sharply past Turpin. "Coola is awake."

Turpin turned to see Coola slowly pushing himself up and grimaced. "Ah, so's 'e is. Damn."

The taller Saiyan looked down at the shorter man. "I need you to distract him for a few moments."

Turpin blinked and looked sourly at Ka'bijj. "Why?"

Ka'bijj scowled. "I am sending the girl to S.S.T.G. 5! I must record a message for her so that she knows where she is, and what is in store for her there. I also must tell her which direction the complex is from where she lands."

"Why no' jus' 'ave da ship lan' by da c'mplex?"

Ka'bijj hesitated, glancing down at Amotto quickly. "Call it a crash course in being a Cleric. It is cruel to do, I know, but she has the capability. She will have recovered some strength by the time she reaches the Training Grounds, so she shall have a fighting chance. I was never able to guide a student, but I saw her potential today. She will become a great warrior. I…" He frowned and glanced at Turpin. "This is my way of claiming her as a student. This is my only chance to guide her. It will be my greatest and final test for her."

"Yer m'kin' 'er a Cleric?!" Turpin suddenly demanded.

Ka'bijj nodded. "Yes. If she makes it to the complex alive, then I declare her officially a Master Cleric."

Turpin frowned and looked down at the unconscious Amotto. "Ya see 'n 'er wut ah s'w 'n Tettuce?"

Ka'bijj nodded again, his gaze moving to Amotto again. "She has great potential, Turpin."

The scarred-up man nodded solemnly. "Ah un-der-stand. Ah'll hol' da l'z'rd off. Do wut ya's got'sa do."

Ka'bijj looked at him and nodded. Turpin glanced at Coola, who was holding his head. He transformed instantly, wincing and grabbing at his chest as the power surged through his aged body.

With an explosion of gold, Turpin launched himself towards the stunned Ice-jin.

_**DBZ**_

Ka'bijj watched in silence as the pod rocketed through the atmosphere, vanishing out of sight within seconds. Behind him he could hear Turpin's cries of pain as Coola used him as a punching bag. He grimaced and turned to face the battle. Turpin was no longer transformed and Coola was punching him back and forth across the sky.

Ka'bijj lunged forward without a second thought, his eyes turning green, his hair turning gold, and his golden aura enveloping him instantly.

Amotto was off the planet. Only he, Turpin, and Coola remained. Nothing that happened from this point onward mattered anymore. The future had never rested on his shoulders as he had so often believed.

The future belonged the youth of this generation. Amotto had made that clear to him.

Ka'bijj rushed to what was almost certainly to be his doom…

_**DBZ**_

_**(When I finished this chapter I kind of just sat and stared at my screen for a minute. Then I went back and read Amotto's first appearance. She has come a long way. A lot further than I ever imagined. I can't say when I realized it, but I think Amotto is easily my favorite O.C. to write. When she was almost killed by Frieza, I had a completely different plan for her. Looking back and seeing where she is and where the story has gone…I'm glad that idea changed. Thank you all, as always, for reading and for reviewing. The next chapter is coming soon.) **_


	33. Another Way to Die

_**Chapter Thirty-Three: Another Way to Die  
**_"_The indulgence of our lives  
__Has cast a shadow on our world.  
__Our devotion to our appetites betrayed us all.  
__An apocalyptic plight.  
__More destruction will unfold.  
__There can be no other reason why.  
__You know we should have seen it coming.  
__Consequences we cannot deny  
__Will be revealed in time."  
__**Another Way to Die-Disturbed**_

_**DBZ**_

Crushing weight made it difficult to breathe. The weakness she felt didn't help her situation, either.

She felt like she remained motionless for an eternity, her mind swimming in and out of consciousness. She was aware of silence, punctuated occasionally by a whistling wind. The weight she felt never relented, as she hoped it might when next she woke.

She did not open her eyes, preferring instead to remain in darkness.

Pain made itself known to her, and she welcomed the darkness as it took her over.

What happened to her?

Why even care…?

The fight…

Coola…

Doesn't matter now…You're obviously dead.

Accept it.

_**DBZ**_

"MUWAHAHAHAHA!"

_What?_

Screams…

_What is this?_

Explosions…

_What the hell is going on?_

That maniacal laughter…

A devastated city, the streets littered with the bodies of the dead.

More screams, terror-stricken cries for mercy…

_Is this a vision? Is this the future?_

_ "It is, Bardock."_

"Kanassan…What's happened? I don't remember this from my other visions."

_"Of course not. This, my Saiyan friend, is your new future."_

"What? But…there's still death…"

_"There always will be. Frieza and his family are not the only threats in this wide universe."_

Fires raged as images of death and destruction passed before Bardock's eyes: destroyed cities, bodies lying scattered all across the ground (some splattered across the ground and buildings,) geysers of molten lava erupting from cervices in the ground.

"W-what planet am I seeing?" Bardock asked quietly. "This…this isn't Earth, is it?"

Bardock knew the answer before the Kanassan said, _"Yes, it is."_

Bardock was silent as he absorbed the information forcing its way into his brain.

"My son…He should be there preventing all of that. Isn't he destined to become a Super Saiyan, regardless of whether or not he fights Frieza?"

_"Yes. Your son _should_ be there. And he is and will be."_

"Wha-?" Bardock fell immediately silent as the image of his son's lifeless face flashed through his consciousness. Bloodied, beaten, his eyes wide open in eternal shock and pain…

"Who?"

The image of a tall shadowed figure flashed all around him, the maniacal laughter from before filling his head. A steady shifting in the shadows revealed the vague silhouette of a massive tail.

"What is that thing?" Bardock whispered quietly, his voice echoing suddenly as he was standing in the midst of a devastated city facing the creature. His eyes widened as it turned to look in his direction, its eyes narrowing and a sinister smile stretching across its massive, flat green face. Light glinted off of perfect, giant green horns as it turned around completely.

Its tail listed lazily behind it as its malevolent gaze surveyed the destruction all around it.

"Gods…" Bardock said quietly. "What the hell is it?"

_"Your son's killer."_

"That…_thing_ is going to kill my son?" he demanded angrily. "Like hell!"

_"This is the future that is being born from your interference, Bardock. This is the future _you_ are creating."_

Bardock watched in silence as a man, whom he could only assume to be Prince Vegeta based off of his uncanny resemblance to the late king, dropped from the sky and attacked the creature head on. He noted that the prince had golden hair and green eyes as the creature easily dodged every one of his punches.

"So the king's brat will become a Super Saiyan, too?"

_"Yes, but you'll be pleased to know that your son transforms first."_

Bardock had to smirk at that, his eyes following the movements of Vegeta and the monstrous creature. "I guess these visions adjust for me. I shouldn't be able to follow a fight like this."

_"You guess right."_

He nodded, his eyes narrowing as the creature's tail suddenly pierced through the prince's chest. He scowled as Vegeta reverted to his base form, the creature tossing him aside like garbage.

"Does this creature kill every-?" The city was gone, images of the lifeless bodies of everyone he knew flashing around him. He saw himself, Turles, Amotto, Zether, Falmer, Leta, Surah, Seripa-

"No!" He said angrily, the images vanishing to be replaced with a vast white emptiness. He looked up, shaking his head. "I won't allow it!" he growled, his eyes narrowing.

_"Will you do this for the rest of your life? The more you fight it, the more the future changes."_

"That's the point!"

_"So far you have made the future worse. What if that is the case the more you fight against it?"_

"So be it. I'll fight it 'til the day I die." His fists trembled at his sides. "I'll become a Super Saiyan, too. I'll become the most powerful being in the universe!"

_"I admire your dedication. It is such a radical shift from the way you used to be, though."_

"I won't stand this shit anymore, Kanassan. I've done nothin' but kill and destroy my entire life! So far its lookin' like I'm destined to mess up the future, too." He shook his head, growling low in his throat. "Not anymore. If I have to push my body to impossible extremes, I'll do it. If I have to become a fuckin' god, I'll fuckin' do _that_, too! I'll do whatever it takes!"

_"You will become a god…" _The Kanassan laughed. _"Bardock, you have already changed the future. To my people that has been deemed impossible for thousands of years. And yet, within but a year, you have managed to not only gain a measure of control over your visions, but you have also changed your future. If you were to become a god, I honestly would not be surprised." _

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Bardock fell silent, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at the white floor. "How much longer until I wake up?" he suddenly asked.

_"I do not know. The drugs that keep you under are starting to fade from your system, so it should not be much longer."_

"The sooner the better," Bardock growled. "I've got shit to do."

_**DBZ**_

Frieza, sporting a rather impressive bruise on his cheek, glared sourly at a holographic projection of a tiny blue planet. His father had not taken too kindly to the revelation of Zarbon being the leader of that thorn in their sides the _Galactic Band. _In hindsight it had been obvious, which was why Cold had been so irate.

Now Frieza was irate as he stared at the tiny planet. He couldn't understand the significance of the mudball.

"What is so special about this planet Earth? Why does Aurah want to go there?"

Cold looked coldly down at his son. "This seems to be a popular planet, Frieza. A Saiyan infant slipped under your radar and was sent here. You will be pleased to know that the infant is the child of those nuisances, Bardock and Seripa."

Frieza looked up at his father and frowned. "An infant monkey is no threat to us."

"Not yet," Cold said coolly as he narrowed his eyes at his son. "You forget that they do grow up."

"I have not forgotten that!" Frieza said in a huff. He looked at the projection again. "I will simply destroy this planet. It is too small to profit off of anyway, so we may as well just do away with it."

"You cannot always resort to destruction, Frieza. Use the planet as bait for your prey and lure them to their deaths. Destroy them all in one fell swoop." Cold smiled as he lifted a clear glass to his lips and took a sip of a crimson liquid. "It would also be the perfect opportunity to finish what you started."

"And what does that mean, Father?" the diminutive tyrant asked sourly, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, nothing much. Save for the fact that Bardock and Seripa survived their encounter with you on Jynn-jin 13." He took another sip.

"That is impossible!" Frieza exclaimed, his eyes narrowing. "I turned them to dust with my own hands!"

"Auguinti, pull up the image file immediately," Cold said with a quick glance to a blue alien with a massive elongated head.

"Yes, Sire."

Frieza frowned as the image of Earth was replaced with a still image of four Saiyans, two of whom looked extremely familiar. "Impossible!" Frieza gasped out as his eyes widened. "There is no way they could have survived!"

"Oh, but survive they did. You were careless, Frieza," Cold said as he looked down his sharp nose at his son. "Your arrogance has blinded you to the fact that you are creating your own worst enemy. The Saiyans I faced in my day were pathetically soft. The Saiyans from your ranks are hardened, seasoned warriors. The stronger they become, the more dangerous they become." Cold stepped away from the projection, moving to stand before his viewing screen.

He scowled. "But no, you do not see it. You are blinded by your own arrogance, high on the thrill of having power." He took a sip of his drink and glanced at Frieza. "You let yourself believe that the Ice-jins are the mightiest race in the universe."

"Well, are we not?"

Cold nodded his head slightly. "Right now we are, but there have always been tales of beings with power beyond even our comprehension. Power that dwarfs even my power in my final form."

Frieza frowned. "That is impossible. What race can possibly match that kind of power?"

Cold grinned, his eyes narrowing as he returned his gaze to the view screen. "You have not seen the things I have seen, Frieza. You do not believe what I tell you, but I tell you now that I have faced a Super Saiyan with power comparable to mine. He was young, inexperienced, reckless, and careless. Those attributes of his were the only things that saved me that day. Arrogance overcame him and he dropped his guard, allowing for me to achieve victory."

The massive Ice-jin turned with a whisk of his cape to glare at Frieza. "I can see from the look of disbelief on your face that you do not believe me. That does not matter. What matters is that you heed my warnings and destroy the rest of these Saiyans before the problem gets out of hand. You are treading on thin ice with them already, and drawing dangerously close to pushing them over the edge."

"King Cold, sir," said Auguinti suddenly.

Cold looked at the alien with a frown. "What is it?"

"Lord Coola is on the line, sir. He says it is urgent," he said, a hardness in his tone. Auguinti lifted his gaze to regard the tyrant evenly and extended his hand, holding a headset. "He says it is a private matter."

Cold narrowed his eyes and strode over to take the headset from Auguinti. The blue alien held his gaze as the Ice-jin placed it on his head.

"What is it, Coola?"

_"Greetings, Father," _Coola said, his voice deeper than normal.

Cold frowned. "You are transformed. What is going on?"

_"I must admit that until yesterday I did not believe your tales of Super Saiyans. I believe them now, however. I just killed two of them."_

Cold scowled and cast a dark glance to Frieza, who blanched in surprise. "Who were they?"

_"Turpin and Priest."_

"The Priest was a Saiyan?"

_"Yes. Did you not know, Father? Frieza knew."_

Cold narrowed his eyes at his youngest. "No, I did not know that."

Frieza gulped and looked away.

_"I assumed as much. They are dead now, though. But there is one small problem."_

"And what might that be?" Cold's irritation was evident in his angered tone.

_"There was a third, much more powerful, Super Saiyan. She did the most damage to me, I am ashamed to admit. She was even able to overpower my Supernova." _Cold heard the scowl in his son's tone. _"Unfortunately she vanished while I was unconscious."_

"The third one was a female? She rendered you unconscious? And she vanished?" Cold frowned, his gaze lowering to the floor. "This is not good."

_"I am inclined to agree, Father. I also have half a mind to bash in Frieza's skull. If not for Turpin and the Priest's extreme ages, I am not sure I would have prevailed."_

"You were outnumbered. One on one you would have crushed them."

_"I believed that before the female obliterated my Supernova,"_ Coola said sourly. _"Her power ripped through it like paper. I have never seen anything like it. It should not be possible…"_

"That is the power I warned you and your brother about!" Cold hissed under his breath. "Neither of you take anything seriously! You have never seen war so you know nothing of the powers that can exist. But now you know. Now you know why the Saiyans are to be feared and respected! They are more than mere monkeys as you and your brother are so fond of saying. Where are you?" he suddenly demanded.

_"Stranded on a worthless planet in the middle of nowhere. Priest damaged my ship beyond repair, the bastard. A dead bastard now…"_

"Damn you and Frieza," Cold sighed, lifting a hand to grip the bridge of his nose. He shook his head. "Transmit your coordinates. We will come and get you and all three of us will go finish this before it gets any worse."

_"Yes, Father."_

Cold ripped the headset from his ear and handed it to Auguinti. He turned and glared at Frieza as he stalked over to him. He stooped down, his eyes locked with his son's.

"W-what d-did he s-say, Father?" Frieza asked, his voice trembling as he struggled to maintain eye contact with his much larger, and more powerful father.

Cold growled and whispered, "_Three_ Super Saiyans. Your brother fought _three _Super Saiyans, managing to kill only two. The third escaped, and she was the most powerful of them. This is a result of your careless actions, Frieza. Do you understand now? Your brother had to transform to fight against them!"

Frieza's eyes were wide. "B-but…that's im-"

"Take care of what you say, Frieza. Because I swear to you, if you say that it is impossible one more time, a Super Saiyan will be the least of your worries. Do you understand me?!" Cold finished in a roar.

Frieza cringed, looking away quickly. He was silent as he slowly nodded his head.

"You better, Frieza. And you better be ready to transform. I know you have been slacking in your training. I highly suggest you get as comfortable as you can in your higher transformations before we face any Super Saiyans, because you are far too soft to fight one." Cold straightened up, glancing around the silent bridge. All eyes, save for Auguinti's, were carefully avoiding his intense gaze.

Cold looked at Auguinti suddenly. "What is it, Auguinti?"

The blue alien smiled slightly. "I have more bad news for you, Sire."

The tyrant scowled. "You take great delight in delivering bad news."

"Of course, Sire." Frieza looked at Auguinti in shock, his eyes wide.

Cold smirked and looked down at his son again. "If it were not for the fact that you have more guts than either of my sons, I would have killed you years ago, Auguinti." He returned his gaze to the alien. "What is this news?"

"I received an urgent report from General Anarica regarding Ice 7. It seems the _Galactic Band _has left the shadows and taken up arms with the Flazerian Empire as an ally. A squadron of ships arrived at Ice 7 as many from within our own ranks rose up and revealed themselves as rebels just a few hours ago. The base is in shambles, and the whole planet is at war." Auguinti's smile stretched in a grin. "In fact, it seems the entire empire is in a state of unrest. More soldiers are rebelling as we speak, killing their peers and their commanding officers. And more Flazerian squadrons are arriving to back them up."

Cold's smirk was gone by the time he finished speaking. He frowned and glanced towards his view screen. His Regime was shaken at the foundation with the actions carried out by Frieza. For the first time in decades there was an active rebellion going on.

There was fighting…

There was killing…

Battles…

Blood and death…

Cold grinned, his eyes narrowing coldly. "A war has begun."

_**DBZ**_

Zether yawned, leaning way back in his seat as he stretched his arms out wide. "Ugh!" he said as his arms dropped down into his lap. "Gods this is boring. How much longer until we reach S.S.T.G. 5?"

Falmer glanced as his freshly shaven brother. He frowned, not for the first time, as he regarded his brother's long hair. It was making him miss his own long hair. "We are still 7 hours away. Be patient, Zether."

"Patience ain't ever been a virtue of mine, brother." The golden haired man grinned.

Falmer rolled his luminescent red eyes. "But of course. You take after father in that aspect."

"Yep, sure do." Zether chuckled. He leaned forward in his seat, suddenly frowning. "It just occurred to me…I wonder how Aurah is handling Tettuce's death?" He glanced at his brother, arching an eyebrow.

Diamond suddenly swiveled around in her chair, her eyes wide. "That's right! You two don't know, yet."

Falmer and Zether both looked at her in confusion. "Know what, dear?" Falmer asked.

She frowned, looking down. After a few seconds she looked up and told them what had happened to Aurah.

Zether was silent as he stared at her, his expression stoic. Falmer had a somber expression on his face as he stared down at his computer console.

"I remember the day they were fused together…Aurah's birth. I never imagined it could be reversed, and so easily."

"A symbolic death," Zether said quietly, his brow creasing together slightly. He looked at Falmer. "Tettuce dies, so Aurah commits 'suicide.'"

Falmer met his brother's gaze and nodded. "Yes," he murmured. "She dies so that Leta and Surah may have a second chance."

"Second chance…" Zether repeated, his eyes widening slightly.

Falmer gave him a questioning look. Understanding dawned on him after a moment and he frowned. "Still, Zether?"

His brother looked at him sharply before frowning. He glanced away. "Always, Falmer. I grew up with her…I always loved her." He sighed and shook his head. "I doubt she'll ever see me in that light, though. I'll probably always be like a brother to her. Besides, she and I are far too different."

"Only in race," said Falmer. "You are both stubborn fools, assuming Leta's personality has not changed as a result of the fusion."

Zether grinned. "Do you remember how stubborn Aurah was?"

Falmer laughed. "I suppose she is still just as stubborn then."

"Yeah." Zether sighed and looked down, smiling. "Even so I think it's too soon after Tettuce's death to be entertaining such thoughts. It wouldn't be respectful. Tettuce was too good of a friend." His smile turned grim as he looked at his brother. "A best friend."

"Yes, Tettuce was a good man." Falmer sighed, looking down at his console. "I remember the day Lord Vogan appointed him as an officer in our military. My commanding officer at that!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "It was difficult to imagine what our good leader was thinking, appointing a bloodthirsty killer like him to a commanding rank. A former officer of Frieza's military…Needless to say, Tettuce was not well received."

Zether grinned. "Yeah, dad told me how everyone avoided him like a plague. How even you were too intimidated to approach him."

"I was not intimidated. I was frightened." Falmer laughed. "The Harbinger of Doom, the Hand of Fate…Imagine hearing those nicknames applied to him, and hearing of the atrocities he committed. And then to suddenly have him as a commanding officer. How would you have reacted?"

"Oh, wait," Falmer said, frowning. "You attacked him the first time you met him." He glanced at his brother again.

Zether's grin was wider. "Hell yeah, I did. And he immediately knocked me on my ass. Dad thought he was going to kill me. But nope…he helped me to my feet, gave me some pointers, and told me to attack him again. I landed a punch on his chin and he knocked me across the room. Then went back to his business, telling dad I had potential." He laughed. "Man…good times."

Falmer smiled. "Yes. Tettuce…he will be missed."

"Oh!" Falmer and Zether both looked at Diamond suddenly.

"What is it?" Falmer asked, frowning.

"Oh, no! With everything that has happened I completely forgot!" She looked at them, clearly concerned. "Seluri told me earlier that Bardock contacted Leta and Surah and told them that they would meet them today to retrieve Turles and the traitor, Blythe-"

"Blythe's a traitor?" Zether suddenly demanded, standing up. "What'd that idiot do?!"

"He tried to kill Broco and destroy the ship. But Turles was able to overpower him," said Diamond quickly. "But I must contact them and let them know what's been going on!" She looked to her console and quickly set to work.

Falmer glanced at Zether. "Blythe was your protégé, was he not?"

Zether frowned, nodding slowly. "Yeah. But I don't understand…why did he betray us?"

Falmer shrugged. "This is the first I have heard of it." He frowned, too. "I always believed him to be an honorable man. What could he have been thinking?"

"Eh, knowing him," Zether said with a sigh, "he probably wasn't. That's easily his biggest flaw."

"Princess Leta!" Diamond suddenly said.

The view screen at the front of the bridge lit up, showing a very irate Leta.

_"Where are Bardock and Seripa?! Have you heard from?!" _she demanded, her tone flustered. _"We're about to meet with Jeice at any minute and they aren't here, yet!" _She stopped, her eyes widening when she saw Zether. _"Zether! You're alive! Falmer! You're awake!" _She blinked in surprise and Surah was suddenly at her side looking at the two men in surprise.

_"General Zether! Colonel Falmer! It is great to see both of you!" _She smiled pleasantly, obviously more at ease than her sister. _"How are you?"_

_ "Surah, this is no time for pleasantries!" _Leta said in irritation. She looked at them again. _"Where are you?" _she asked again.

"Far away, Princess," said Falmer grimly. He quickly told them everything that had happened since his awakening.

Leta cursed when he finished. _"So much continues to go wrong. Bardock and Seripa are with you now, then?"_

"They are in recovery, yes."

_"What about Broco?" _she asked, her tone lower than before.

Falmer looked down and shook his head. "Both he and Amotto are gone now. We were forced to leave Amotto behind, I'm ashamed to admit."

Leta frowned and looked down, biting her bottom lip. _"That…is unfortunate." _She suddenly looked up. _"Do you all know that Zarbon has revealed himself as the leader of the _Galactic Band?_"_

All three of them flashed her startled looks. "No, we hadn't heard that," Zether said with a frown. "Is it true?"

_"I don't know. But we're supposed to be meeting with a member of his ranks within the hour. They are supposedly bringing us Prince Vegeta and two other Saiyans, one of them Bardock's eldest son, Raditz." _She grimaced. _"But this is Zarbon we're talking about. I don't know if we can fully trust him. I was counting on Bardock and Seripa being around just in case this ended up being a trap."_

_ "You worry too much, Sister," _Surah said with a grin. _"I am unsure of what to make of this, as well; however I believe we should give Zarbon the benefit of the doubt."_

_ "I'm sorry, Surah, but I can't afford to do that." _Leta shook her head. _"Not when our own people are ready to sell us out to Frieza."_

"I'm guessing you're referring to Blythe, Princess?" asked Zether with a frown. "Where is that bastard?"

She gestured dismissively. _"He's contained. Even if he wasn't, Turles temporarily rendered him harmless so he's not a danger at the moment." _

"I'd kinda like a chance to deal with him myself," Zether said coldly. "I'll make him regret his mistake."

_"Turles did that sufficiently enough," _Leta said dryly. _"My point is I can't bring myself to fully trust Zarbon." _

"We are more than 36 hours away from your position, Princess," said Falmer slowly. "We would never make it in time."

_"Well, any suggestions then?"_

"Actually, I have one," said Zether brightly, grinning suddenly. "Cloak your ship and hide it where it can't be seen visually. Then just wait it out and see what happens. If it's a trap, they're probably expecting you to not show anyway. They sure as hell won't expect you to be hiding. If things look sketchy, blast your way out of there and into hyper space."

Leta arched an eyebrow. _"Seriously? If they come in force that plan is suicide."_

Zether shrugged. "If they come in force, then just stay hidden until they leave. Some may stay behind, but they'll have landing parties. Standard military procedure. You bail while they're off their ships, they'll never catch you. You gotta wait for the enemy to drop their pants sometimes."

Leta frowned, chewing idly on her bottom lip. The action accentuated her resemblance to Seripa. _"It's crazy…"_

"Yes, it is."

Leta looked up and immediately scowled when she saw Seluri standing at the back of the bridge.

Zether and the others looked at her and then glanced at Leta in confusion.

"Uh, did we miss something?" Zether asked with a frown.

_"Nothing of importance," _Leta all-but spat out.

Seluri sighed and walked forward until she was standing behind the others. "The Gylderian's idea _is_ crazy, but it also has a high chance for success."

_"What do you know about it?"_

Seluri eyed her daughter sternly. "You know I was a Cleric, girl. I am trained in multiple forms of strategy, and this is a good strategy. It is unorthodox, but that is why it will work. If this turns out to be a trap, then as the Gylderian said they will not be expecting you to even be there. They may arrive prepared for you to be there, but they certainly will not be expecting you there, let alone hiding there."

Leta frowned and looked at Surah. She her met gaze and they stared at each other for a moment, a wordless conversation being exchanged. Surah gave a slight shrug before smiling and Leta's tense shoulders visibly relaxed.

She sighed and looked at them again. _"Yeah, you're right. That probably will work. I don't like it, but I'm not much of a fighter anyway. I certainly wouldn't consider a move like this."_

"Oh, bull shit," said Zether with a grin. Leta looked at him sharply, her eyebrows rising quickly. "You always used to beat stomp me during hide and attack when we were kids. You were good at it."

_"This is a little different, Zether," _Leta said as she rolled her eyes.

"No it ain't. You're hiding and attacking either way. You might be in a Cruiser that you're hiding and might be attacking with, but the premise is still the same."

Leta frowned, arching an eyebrow as she regarded Zether. _"You always make a weird kind of sense."_

"You know you love me," Zether said with a grin.

_"I wouldn't go so far to say that, but I do admire your cunning. We'll give that maneuver a shot. Hopefully it won't be necessary and I'm just being paranoid, but I don't want to take any chances. The universe is in chaos right now and I have no idea what's going to happen from here on out." _She suddenly frowned and looked away from the screen and at someone off camera. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

Falmer and Zether exchanged glances before looking back at her. "What is it, Princess?" Falmer asked.

She looked at them, closing her mouth slowly. _"War…war has broken out. The Flazerian Empire and the _Galactic Band _are attacking Ice-jin occupied planets and bases." _She glanced at Surah, who was smiling. She frowned. _"Just as Zarbon said." _She looked at them again. _"He said that he had allied himself with Maseselyo to combat the Cold Regime."_

"Huh. Maybe Zarbon really is the leader of the _Galactic Band. _Stranger things have happened. I am alive, after all." Zether laughed as he back down in his chair. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try trusting him."

Leta shook her head. _"I won't take any chances. I'm going to stick with your plan."_

Seluri nodded slightly, her gaze locked on her daughter.

Leta glanced at her and frowned again. _"What?"_

"You are as stubborn as your father was."

_"Funny. He always said I was as stubborn as you," _Leta said, her eyes narrowing. _"I always hated when he was right." _

Seluri smiled slightly. "Yes, he had annoying knack for being right. How are you doing, Leta?"

The Princess scowled and looked away. _"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm doing great."_

Seluri nodded. "I see. That is good to hear. When you are ready to speak with me, my daughter, you can contact me whenever you desire." She smiled again and left the bridge.

All eyes turned to Leta in confusion as the Princess watched her mother walk away. She sighed and looked down, shaking her head.

_**DBZ**_

Crushing weight made it difficult to breathe. The weakness she felt didn't help her situation, either.

She felt like she remained motionless for an eternity, her mind swimming in and out of consciousness. She was aware of silence, punctuated occasionally by a whistling wind. The weight she felt never relented, as she hoped it might when next she woke.

She did not open her eyes, preferring instead to remain in darkness.

Pain made itself known to her, and she welcomed the darkness as it took her over.

What happened to her?

Why even care…?

The fight…

Coola…

Doesn't matter now…You're obviously dead.

Accept it.

The faint whistling gradually began to grow into a howl. Everything began to shake.

_You're not dead…You can't be. What are these sensations? Amotto…wake up._

_ I am awake._

_ Open your eyes…_

It took every ounce of her willpower to force her heavy lids open, and several minutes before she was able to comprehend what she was seeing.

She was sitting in the darkness of a space pod, hooked to its life support system. Rain was thudding violently against the metallic alloy of the pod, winds buffeting the ship like hammer blows. She narrowed her eyes slowly as she tried to see beyond the water streaks on the tiny window of the pod. Lightning flashed, revealing the vague silhouettes of craggy formations.

She frowned and struggled to lean forward. It took every ounce of her strength to push herself forward. Her body felt like it weighed a ton. The strain took everything out of her. She let out a breath as she rested her forehead against the glass, looking down at the tiny console inlaid into the hatch.

"C-com…pu…ter…" she gasped out, her voice barely rising above a whisper. "Wh-where…am I?"

The console suddenly lit up.

_"Girl, if you are alive…I hope you are alive…"_

She blinked in surprise, recognizing Ka'bijj's voice.

_"You are a very stubborn young woman, Amotto, but right now I need you to forget about that. Considering what I am doing to ensure your survival, I believe you owe that much to me."_

She frowned softly, wincing slightly as a sharp pain shot through both cheeks.

_"I recognized great potential in you as I fought first against you, and then with you. You faced down Coola admirably and made him think twice, but do not let your anger get the best of you now. I am giving you an opportunity to become greater than you ever thought possible."_

A brow arched upwards slowly. _I'm listening…_

_ "I have sent you to the last of the Clerics of the Old World Training Grounds, Super Saiyan Training Grounds 5. Now that you are paying close attention-"_

_ Fuck you, old man…_

_ "-I can assume that you are interested in where I have sent you and why. Willing or not I would have taken you on as a student if I had been able to survive today. I would have trained you in the ways of the Clerics so that the order may be rebuilt."_

Ka'bijj's voice sighed. _"The best I can offer you is S.S.T.G. 5, and a complex that should be about ten miles east of your current position. It is important that you verify beforehand, because you are not alone on that planet. There are…Well, technically speaking the beings that reside on that planet are essentially Saiyans. But they were genetically altered to be larger than us, and insanely powerful. They are very dangerous._

_ "And they have the home field advantage. The gravity on S.S.T.G. 5 is absurdly high, being exactly 65 times that of the galactic Standard-_

_Are you kidding me?_

_ "Anyway the complex is an abandoned Cleric Sanctuary. There are recovery chambers there, food, supplies…Anything you will need. My single and final mission as your Master is for you to undertake a pilgrimage to that complex, and to download everything you can about the Clerics and take it with you when you leave. Train hard and study the history and our teachings where ever you are and where ever you may go. If you do this, then I officially name you a Master Cleric of the Old…" _he paused.

_"No." _Amotto frowned. She recognized the smirk in the man's voice. _"The Clerics of the Old World are dead and gone. So…I officially name you the Arch Cleric of Super Saiyans. Go forth from S.S.T.G. 5 and spread our teachings among the remaining Saiyans, and restore our race's true glory. I entrust in you the future of our race and our Order. As I said, I saw great potential in you._

_ "So you must survive whatever happens to you on S.S.T.G. 5. Survive...Become greater than you ever imagined through our teachings. This, Amotto the Super Saiyan, is my greatest test of you, my student._

_ "And destroy the gods damned Ice-jin that killed me." _The message ended.

Amotto stared at the console in silence for a long time. Ka'bijj was dead. Turpin probably was, too. She frowned and eased back into her seat, cringing as the movement caused her whole body to ache. What had happened in those last few moments after the Supernova was launched? She couldn't remember anything after Coola dropping it on her.

Had it hit her?

Had Turpin taken the hit while Ka'bijj carried her away to safety?

How long had it been?

That last question was easy to answer. She estimated that only a day or two had passed based on how her body felt. That might have also been able to answer question number one, but she was pretty sure if it had hit her then she'd be dead.

Arch Cleric of Super Saiyans…She liked the sound of the title. But did she deserve it? She'd only been a Super Saiyan for a couple of days now. What right did she have to carry such a title?

Besides, she knew very little about the Clerics.

Which, of course, would be remedied if she made it to the Sanctuary. If she followed through with the mission, and survived it, then she would be able to call herself the Arch Cleric. Ka'bijj did task her with studying and learning about the Clerics…Was it up to her to decide whether or not to take the title?

Ka'bijj had been a Cleric. He had had the authority to decide whether or not she should become one. Her brow furrowed as she considered all of this.

She looked up and out the tiny window of the pod. Lightning lit up the rough terrain outside as she thought about the trek ahead of her.

Considering the gravity of the planet and her weakened condition, she'd be lucky if she made it to the complex alive.

There was a sudden tap against the window, making her jump. Which she immediately regretted.

She cringed and leaned forward a little bit to peer out the window…

A brutish, hairy face appeared pressed against the glass, hot breath fogging up the glass. Amotto pressed herself against the back of the seat, her eyes wide in sudden fear.

_Uh oh…_

The pod shifted and the face narrowed black eyes at her, baring its elongated fangs in a guttural roar. The eyes fixed on her, and the face spread into a gleeful smile.

An all-too familiar sexual hunger lighting up the creature's eyes. Amotto gripped the armrest of her seat as tremors shook her weak body.

"Oh, no…No…"

_**DBZ**_


	34. Until It Sleeps

_**Chapter Thirty-Four: Until It Sleeps**_

"_So tear me open, pour me out_

_There's things inside that scream and shout_

_And the pain still hates me_

_So hold me, until it sleeps_

_Just like the curse, just like the stray_

_You feed it once, and now it stays_

_So tear me open, but beware_

_There's things inside without a care_

_And the dirt still stains me_

_So wash me, until I'm clean."_

_**Until It Sleeps-Metallica**_

_**DBZ**_

Turles watched as a small, ovular spacecraft descended towards a grassy meadow. His eyes narrowed as the ship touched down and the engines began to power down. He glanced at Lessbru to his right to see the man sweating profusely. He rolled his eyes and looked at the ship again.

The two men had been sent out to scout the ship when it had been detected on the radar. Thankfully the ship had landed near a forest so the two of them were able to keep out of sight in the thick underbrush. The only drawback was that in order to see they had to lie down on their stomachs.

This suited Turles just fine. It may hinder them in the event of a quick escape, but they were less likely to be spotted. The gap afforded to them between the ground and the thick vines of whatever native bush they were hiding under was slim, giving them a limited view. But they could see the ship and it was unlikely they would be spotted.

Turles would have preferred for someone stronger than Lessbru to have accompanied him, but he was the only one with a power level low enough to be less likely to be detected. Not many people could control their power level like Turles.

"Should someone be coming out?" Lessbru asked in a whisper.

Turles shrugged. "They may be waiting for us to show up," he muttered. "Or they may try callin' us."

"Well…it is just one ship. Maybe Zarbon was telling the truth?" Lessbru glanced at him with a hopeful expression.

"Why don't you go find out for us? If they kill you on sight, I'll assume it's a trap." The teenager looked at Lessbru with a smirk, who only scowled.

"Very funny. What do we do, then?"

Turles returned his gaze to the ship and shrugged. "I guess we report back to the Princess and Surah, and see if they've picked up any more ships on radar."

The hatch suddenly opened and a tall, bald Saiyan stepped out. He stretched his massive arms out, yawning loudly.

"Gods!" he declared. "This ship is way too small for comfort!" He put his hands against his lower back and leaned back, crackling and popping audible even to Turles and Lessbru.

"Huh," said Turles. "That's Nappa."

"Isn't that a good sign?"

"Maybe. Hold on." Turles narrowed his eyes as Nappa stepped away from the hatch and did a series of punches and kicks.

"Damn it feels good to stretch my arms and legs. I hate being cooped up." He stopped and smiled to no one.

"The fool talks to himself…" Turles murmured.

A red alien with a mass of white hair suddenly stepped out of the hatch, giving Nappa an odd look. "Oy. You think I enjoyed being stuck in there with you bitching and moaning the entire trip? It's not like it was a picnic."

Nappa turned to face the alien and sneered. "Well Jeice, you can just be thankful I'm goin' back to my kind. I'm sick of lookin' at your face."

"The feeling's mutual, Nappy."

"Oof." Nappa cringed and cocked an eyebrow as he regarded the much shorter alien. "Low blow, ya prick."

Jeice grinned. "I had to get in a good one before ya left."

"Ah, fair enough." Nappa guffawed.

Turles blinked and glanced at Lessbru in disbelief. "The dude's actin' all chummy with him. There's no way this is a trap. It's too ridiculous to be."

Lessbru grimaced and nodded. "I am inclined to agree. What should we do?"

"I'm goin' in." Turles crawled forward out from under the bush and stood up. "Hey!"

Jeice and Nappa looked at him suddenly, both of them immediately tensing up.

"Wait a sec…" Nappa frowned and relaxed. "Ain't you Bardock's brother? Tails or somethin' or another?"

Turles frowned. "Way off dumbass. Where's the other two?"

Nappa scowled. "Big talk for lower class scum." He eyed Turles, seemingly sizing him up. After a few seconds he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "They're still in the ship obviously. Waitin' on our ride. I'm guessin' you're part of that group?" He arched an eyebrow as Lessbru crawled from under the bush and stood up. "How many more are there?"

"It's just us, Nappa." Turles walked forward to stand in front of the giant Saiyan and Jeice. He looked at the red skinned alien, his eyes immediately going to the familiar symbol emblazoned across the chest piece of his armor. "You're a member of the Ginyu Force?"

Jeice grinned. "Sure am. Freshly joined, of course. But I've been a member of the _Galactic Band _for a few years now, so don't worry."

Turles looked up into the sky, his eyes darting back and forth. "All the same, I'm still expectin' this to be a trap."

"Not a chance, Turtle," said Nappa, smirking.

"It's Turles, dipshit."

"Whatever. I was watching the radar the entire trip. Ain't no one followin' us."

"Idiot. Did you consider that they might be cloaked?"

Nappa blinked, his smirk fading. "What?"

Jeice laughed. "That was better than insultin' ya! Don't worry, kid," he said to Turles. "You can take these three back to your ship-"

"I have an idea," Turles interrupted. "Why don't you join us?"

"Join you? What?" Jeice frowned.

"Yeah. As our prisoner." Turles narrowed his eyes as Nappa looked at Jeice suddenly.

"Your prisoner? That's not part of the deal."

"Gesture of good faith. Let us put you in a ki-blocking cell and we'll know we can trust you." He folded his arms across his chest. "What do you say?"

Jeice arched an eyebrow at him. "I'll have to run that by the fearless leader, but whatever powers your ship, kid. I can't say I wasn't expecting something like this, though." He grinned.

Turles frowned. Jeice had agreed to that way too easily. He glanced at the symbol on the alien's chest again. "Hm. As a Ginyu I'm guessin' your power dwarfs ours. You could be agreeing in order to be led back to our ship so that you can kill everyone there."

Jeice scratched the back of his neck as he regarded Turles in confusion. "Jeez, you are over-complicating this. Next you'll probably say I'm Frieza in disguise!"

"Are you?"

Nappa laughed and clapped a massive hand against Jeice's back, staggering the shorter man. "I think he's messin' with ya, Jeice."

Turles arched an eyebrow and looked up at the taller Saiyan. "I'm serious."

Nappa blinked and looked down at the boy, startled. "You're kidding."

"I'm not. I've gone through too much crap this last year to trust just anyone. Especially someone, mole or not, working for Frieza." He looked at Jeice again. "Don't try anything. I'm more than strong enough to handle whatever you throw my way." It was obviously a bluff, but Jeice didn't have a scouter so he hoped it would hold at least until the Ginyu/G.C. member was safely in a ki-blocking cell.

Jeice grinned in response. "You know what? Fine. I won't even radio and alert Zarbon. Let me get the brats and we'll go."

"Who are you calling a brat?"

Jeice glanced over his shoulder as a young boy with a mass of black spikes for hair stepped out of the ship. He was wearing Saiyan Royal armor, with a dark red cape hanging from the guards. He scowled at the red alien and folded his arms across his chest.

Jeice chuckled. "Sorry, Prince Vegeta. I meant 'brat.'"

"Don't talk down to me. I'm not an idiot like that buffoon in there." He jerked his head towards the ship. "I'm not some lower class idiot."

Turles frowned. "Big talk for a little kid. That's my nephew you're insulting."

Vegeta looked at the teenager sharply. "Why's that matter to me? You're both lower class scum."

"The planet's gone, prince. You ain't lordin' over nothin' now. You've got a lot of learnin' to do, because thanks to the lizard you and me ain't nothin' but Saiyans now." Turles folded his arms and narrowed his eyes as he glared down at Vegeta. "So don't expect no special treatment from me."

Vegeta smirked. "You're still just lower class scum to me. Not even worth the time to dirty my gloves dealing with you."

Turles returned the smirk as he scoffed. "You've got a lot to learn, prince." He glanced at Nappa. "Our ship is just a few miles south of here." He looked at Jeice again. "From now until we say otherwise you're our prisoner. Agreed?"

Jeice grinned and shrugged. "Whatever, kid. Let's just get on with it already."

"Good. Vegeta-"

"_Prince_ Vegeta-"

Turles looked down at the boy and scowled. "I told you already you ain't gettin' special treatment from me. That includes callin' you 'Prince' Vegeta. So deal with it."

"My father was King Vegeta of the Saiyans. I am Prince of all Saiyans, so you will refer to me as such." Vegeta took a step forward and glared up at Turles. "If you won't, then I will have to teach you a lesson in respect." He smiled. "And I'm not known for my kindness."

"Oh, gods…" Turles rolled his eyes. "Are you challengin' me?"

Vegeta suddenly leapt up, his fist flying forward.

Turles caught the punch effortlessly, scowling at the boy. Vegeta's eyes were wide in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised, kid. I've been through some serious shit lately and my power reflects it." He slung Vegeta to the ground where he landed in a heap, his cape flying over his head. "Just stay down. You don't want to do this."

Vegeta angrily tore his cape from his face and stood up. "How dare you!? I'm Prince Vegeta! You can't treat me like this!"

Turles glanced at Nappa and arched an eyebrow. "Is he always this ornery?"

Nappa grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, pretty much."

Vegeta looked at Nappa in surprise. "Nappa! What are you saying?"

"He's right, Prince Vegeta. The planet is gone, the royal family's gone. You're the last, and you're just a kid."

"Actually he is not the last," Lessbru spoke up. He'd just been watching the exchange so far, preferring to stay silent.

Turles glanced at him sourly. "You just had to spoil the fun, didn't you?"

"He would have found out about Princess Leta sooner or later. There is no point in hiding the fact." Lessbru shrugged.

Turles rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Why don't you go retrieve my nephew so we can get the hell out of here?"

Lessbru hesitated for a moment, seeming to want to say something. But he relented and nodded before heading into the ship.

Nappa stared after the man before glancing at Turles. "So how exactly did ya get so strong? Ya weren't nowhere near this strong the last time I seen ya."

"I've been busy, Nappy."

The giant Saiyan grimaced before scowling. "Ya brat."

Jeice, meanwhile, was laughing. "I like this kid. He's a bigger smart-ass than me!"

Turles smirked and looked at the hatch as Lessbru came walking out, a small boy with a mass of black hair that almost brushed the ground following behind him sullenly. The boy's face suddenly brightened when he looked up and saw the teenager.

"Uncle Turles!" He dashed forward and leapt into his arms.

"Oof. Hey there, Radish. You ready to get out of here? We're going somewhere safe."

Raditz grinned and nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Vegeta growled. "Who is this Princess Leta? And who do you think you are treating me this way?!"

Turles arched an eyebrow at the boy. "Believe me kid, this attitude ain't gonna fly. You're gonna have to chill out."

"Chill…Chill out?! Damn you, you lower class scum! Don't you tell me what to do!"

Turles rolled his eyes as he levitated into the air. He glanced down at Nappa and Jeice. "Was he like this the entire trip here?"

Nappa grinned sheepishly, glancing down at the little prince.

Jeice laughed. "Yep."

Vegeta glared around at them all, his teeth grinding together in annoyance.

_**DBZ**_

"Ah-Ow!" Amotto cried out as her forehead struck the hatch as the Brute Saiyan lifted the pod from the ground. She stared wide-eyed into the crazed eyes and struggled against the awesome gravity to push herself away from the tiny window.

She honestly had no idea how she was getting out of this situation. She had next to no ki, and her body was too weak to endure the insane gravity of this planet. And the Brute Saiyan didn't seem the least bit affected by it, easily lifting the space pod as he did.

Despite herself she couldn't help but notice how much he resembled any random Saiyan male. Of course Ka'bijj had said the Brutes were essentially Saiyans, but she expected a more primitive-looking species.

And when he said larger, she hadn't expected the Brutes to be _this_ big! This Brute's nose alone was as big as the pod's window.

She did not want to see how big the rest of him was.

But she also had no hopes of escape. There was absolutely no way she could generate enough ki to save herself.

The Brute shook the pod, jostling her back and forth violently.

"Ow!" she cried, despite herself, as her shoulder struck the offending alloy.

A compartment sprung open and medical supplies toppled to the floor.

And she spotted it: a small gray cylinder rolling across the floor as the pod shook.

_An adrenaline shot…_

The pod suddenly slammed back to the ground, jarring her aching body rough enough to cause her to black out for an instant. As her vision swam she realized that the cylinder was now in her lap, having been violently bounced from the floor with the force of the impact.

She fumbled with it, struggling to get it open.

There was a sudden thunking sound and a wrenching of metal. She looked up to see the Brute forcing the hatch open.

Her eyes widened and she quickly popped the top off the cylinder and withdrew a large, intimidating syringe.

And without even thinking she jabbed it into her bare chest, right into her heart, depressing the plunger instantly. With a screeching of metal the hatch was torn away, lightning flashing behind the massive Brute that the action revealed.

Gusting wind swept into the pod as stinging rain pelted her face and bare body, almost instantly leaving behind tiny bruises.

She yanked the syringe from her chest as her heart suddenly became ice cold. A rapid rush of cold swept through her veins, chilling her body. She looked up at the Brute Saiyan and before a thought or hesitation could cross her mind, she leapt forward with such strength and speed that she surprised herself.

She gripped the syringe tight as her feet touched the jagged edges of the pod, and she pushed herself upwards as hard as she could. Her focus zeroed in on the Brute's surprised eyes and she suddenly drove the syringe down hard into his unprotected right eye as her legs wrapped tightly around his massive neck. As she locked her ankles together, she couldn't help but to imagine that his neck was a tree he was so big.

The Brute howled in pain and anger and stumbled backwards, shaking his head violently. He reached for her but she withdrew the syringe and stabbed him again, causing him to howl again. She repeated the action, withdrawing and stabbing his eye as hard as she could. Blood splattered up her arm and onto her face with each impact.

The Brute suddenly grabbed her and threw her away, clapping his hands to his ruined eye, rivers of blood gushing from between his fingers.

Amotto landed on her pod, the ship easily crushed beneath her gravity-enhanced weight. She groaned as her head swam, and sparks danced around her from the wreckage. The incessant rain didn't help her any either.

An angry growl caused her to look up at the hairy Brute Saiyan glaring down at her with his good eye, one hand covering his other one.

"I bet your eyeball looks like jelly." She grinned weakly as he scowled at her.

The Brute growled and reached down to pluck her from the wreckage, his massive hand wrapping over the entirety of her calf. He held her upside down at his eye level, growling low in his throat as he looked her over.

"What's your damn problem? Kill me already!" She spat in his face with as much force as she could muster, but it only garnered a bearing of fangs from the Brute.

She grimaced. "Jeez. Fine then!" She brought both hands forward and channeled what ki she could muster into a blast to his face.

But all she managed to do was produce a bright flash of green light, blinding the Brute. He snarled and dropped her as he stumbled backwards, shaking his head.

As she dropped, Amotto spotted a large knife with a curved blade made of stone tucked into the Brute's loin-cloth. She reached out and gripped the hilt, yanking it free as she passed by it. She hit the ground, and couldn't help but to let out a cry of pain upon impact. Her body ached as she climbed wearily to her feet, brandishing the knife. Although it was more accurately a sword for how big it was compared to her. Her tiny hands could barely wrap around the hilt.

And its weight, enhanced by the 65 times Standard gravity of this forsaken planet, made it difficult for her to wield.

"Just brilliant, Amotto," she muttered under her breath as her arms shook with the effort of holding the knife up. _What was I thinking?! I'll never be able to use this against him! _She narrowed her eyes as the Brute blinked his good eye rapidly, apparently still trying to clear spots from his vision. _He's not looking at me _she realized with a start.

She suddenly charged forward as quickly and as nimbly as she could (which was neither quick, nor nimble, but slow and clumsy.) She stumbled to the right as the weight of the knife got away from her. Gritting her teeth as her abused muscles trembled under the strain, she managed to right herself and get back on her course towards the Brute.

But by then the Brute had taken notice of her. She grimaced as she saw the dawning recognition in his single eye as he looked upon the weapon in her hands.

He growled and lowered his blood-covered hand to his side, revealing his mutilated eyeball. It did, indeed, look like chunky jelly. A fact that actually brought a slight smirk to Amotto's face.

"How 'bout that," she mumbled as the Brute looked down at his side to visually confirm that the weapon was gone. He growled in anger as he turned his gaze on her again.

Her arms trembled more and more with each passing second, her breathing getting heavier and heavier. What little bit of strength that she had retained was rapidly leaving her. She had to act fast.

The Brute made a movement toward her, and she acted. She brought the weapon down as hard and as fast as she could, the blade cleaving into and through his hairy foot and becoming imbedded several inches into the ground. Blood and gore exploded almost instantly from the wound, and the Brute howled in agony as he dropped to his good knee.

Amotto tried to withdraw the blade, but it was too deep and too heavy for her to budge. She grimaced and reluctantly stepped away as the Brute grasped the hilt and easily yanked the weapon from his mangled foot. He fell to his backside, his devastated foot cradled in his lap.

Her knees shook as she backed away from him. Was he going to come after her?

Her question was answered as the Brute suddenly snatched the weapon up from where he'd dropped it and chucked it at her forcefully.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed as she wheeled to the side, hurrying to get out of its way. The blade sailed past her and slammed into the ground, exploding into hundreds of tiny, jagged pieces.

"Hey! That was close, damn it!" she yelled breathlessly as she bent over, hands on her knees huffing for air. How she was still standing under the intense gravity was beyond her. Maybe she was still in the throes of an adrenaline rush?

With surprising speed, the Brute suddenly lunged forward and batted her backwards. She landed violently, the ground cracking under the force of her landing, and she couldn't help but to exclaim in pain as the unyielding ground scraped her sensitive flesh nearly raw.

She lay still, stunned from the blow, as the Brute staggered to his feet. Well, he balanced on one foot anyway. Scowling he began to hobble towards her, closing the distance between them at an agonizingly slow pace. It was the anxiety of having to wait that bothered Amotto the most. It gave her too much time to imagine what horrors awaited her.

It did give her mind time to race and think of numerous, desperate, ways to get out of this situation, though.

Which were none, actually.

Fear gripped her as the Brute drew closer to her, his angered gaze locked on her unmoving form. She forced herself to look away. She didn't want to see him getting closer to her.

Almost immediately her eyes locked onto the shards of the gigantic knife lying near to her. In a flash she reached out and snagged a piece, its size and shape perfect for her small fingers to wrap around comfortably.

With strength that seemed to come from a desperate bid for survival, she jumped to her feet and sprang up to dri ve the shard into the Brute's already ravaged eyeball. She hooked her free arm around his neck and stabbed again…and again…and again.

Blood and gore splattered her frenzied face as the Brute howled louder with each penetration of the stone blade. She stabbed and stabbed until the Brute was silent; she stabbed relentlessly, losing herself to the frenzy of the kill.

It was several moments before she realized that the Brute was spread-eagled on the ground and that she was straddling his neck, persistently grinding the blade deeper and deeper into what remained of his massive face. Her arm was buried almost elbow-deep into the remains of the creature's head.

Her eyes widened at the sight as nausea and weakness overcame her.

Her untainted hand shot up to cover her mouth as her stomached churned violently.

"I'm going to be sick…" she mumbled into her hand as she closed her eyes. Lightning flashed and the rain seemed to come down harder.

_**DBZ**_

Seripa's eyes shot open as she looked up in mild surprise to see Bardock standing before her rejuvenation chamber. The hatch was open and the healing liquid had already completely drained out. She eyed him curiously as he wordlessly held out a pile of clothing for her: a new set of battle-armor in her favorite style. The underarmor, however, was red instead of pink.

She grimaced as she took the armor and then noticed for the first time that Bardock was wearing his favorite style armor in his favorite colors.

She scowled. "How is that you get the armor you want, but I'm stuck with a shitty alternative?"

Bardock grinned. "I'm just lucky."

Seripa snorted as she stood up and stepped out of the chamber. She set her armor, gloves, and boots on a stand nearby and started to pull her underarmor on.

A familiar tickling sensation stopped her and she looked down to see Bardock's tail brushing her bare stomach. She looked up at him to see his eyes looking her over carefully.

She arched an eyebrow and grinned coyly. "This ain't the first time you've seen me without clothes, Bardock."

His gaze found hers and she frowned suddenly at the dark look in his eyes. His hand lifted to her side and he sighed.

"Seripa…Amotto didn't make it."

Seripa felt her blood drain from her cheeks, and turn to ice in her veins. Her eyes widened and she gasped quietly. "What?" she whispered.

Bardock's tail was gentle as it entwined with hers. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as her hands gripped his back.

Seripa pressed her forehead against Bardock's armored chest, her eyes staring blankly at the black and green material. Amotto…gone?

"What happened…?" she quietly asked, her eyes lifting to look up at her mate.

He shook his, a grim look on his face. "I don't know. No one does. They loaded you and me up and then high-tailed it out of there, leavin' Amotto and the geezers behind with Coola."

"So Turpin is dead, too?"

He nodded with a slight grimace. "Yeah, he is."

Seripa closed her eyes with a slight sigh. Her father was dead. And she felt…nothing. Not that she was surprised by this, but she longed to feel more than just emptiness.

But then again she did feel something. She felt regret.

Regret that she'd never had a chance to slap him one good time. Regret that she'd never have a chance to get to know him as a father. Regret that she'd never pressed her mother for details regarding her real father's identity.

Would it have made a difference in her life? Probably not, but it would have been nice to have known him at least a little bit.

But it was Amotto's fate that struck her heart more than that. Her friend was gone now. For good, this time. There was no doubt in her mind that Coola had finished all three of the Super Saiyans off.

Her eyes began to sting and she opened them, tears spilling down her cheeks. She made to dash them away in embarrassment, but Bardock caught her hand. She looked up at him as his free hand gently wiped her tears away.

"We're less than an hour away from S.S.T.G. 5," he murmured quietly as he looked upon her, his expression soft.

"S.S.T.G. 5?" she echoed. "What is that?"

"It's the Trainin' Ground planet that Turpin and Seluri mentioned before. Our plans have changed apparently, and that's where we're headed."

Seripa stared up at him for a moment before nodding with a sigh. "I see. We still have no choice in what we do then…"

Bardock arched an eyebrow. "Didn't we choose to get stronger so we could kill Frieza?"

"Did we? Or did Turpin decide that for us?" she spat bitterly as she looked away.

"Wait, what's this? YOU started a campaign to kill Frieza long before I got involved. Are you backin' out?"

"No, no, I'm not. I just…I don't know." She sighed again and drew away from him, her grip tightening on the underarmor still held in her hands. "We keep losing people. Who's going to be next? You? Me? Zether?" She shook her head and closed her eyes. "No matter what we do or where we go, I can't stop thinking about Kakarrot. What of him if something happens to us?" Her shoulders became rigid and trembled a bit. "I…These emotions…"

Bardock's hands slid around her waist from behind and she felt his lips against her temple. "Welcome them, Seripa."

"I'm so used to ignorin' them, Bardock…" she whispered, her voice ringing with terror. "Why do they scare me now? Now that I know that Saiyans aren't meant to be what we've been thus far…why only now do I realize that my own emotions scare me?"

"Are you sure it's your emotions that are scarin' you?"

"What else could it be?" she asked, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Simple fear."

"Fear?!" She tore away from him and spun to face, glaring at him heatedly. "I fear nothing!"

Bardock just grinned. "Bull shit, bitch. You get scared just as much as I do, if not more."

She flashed her middle finger at him, scowling as he just laughed. "I'm not scared of anythin', Bardock."

"Are you so sure?"

She lowered her arms to her side, the underarmor still grasped tight in her fingers. She met his gaze and nodded. "I am."

"What about Kakarrot dying?"

She visibly stiffened, her face instantly going pale. Her bottom lip trembled as her brow knitted together.

"That scares you. It scares me, too."

Her eyes widened and she looked at him sharply. "It does? But you…" She frowned as he nodded.

"Yeah, I know I said Kakarrot meant nothin' to me." He shrugged. "I guess I lied." He met her gaze evenly.

She frowned at him, detecting no hints of deception in his eyes. He'd never admitted that he was scared before, let alone so casually!

He smiled slightly. "I know, I know. But haven't we already agreed that we need to recognize that our people aren't the monsters we were raised to be? That we have the same emotions as other beings in this wide universe?"

She nodded slowly, her frown fading. "Yes, but…Is it really that easy?"

He shrugged. "Not really, no. It hurt my pride to admit that I fear our son's death. But at the same time…" His smile broadened. "It felt like the weight of a billion suns was lifted from my shoulders when I said it. We fight harder when we fear for our lives, don't we? I have in the past."

She nodded her agreement as she listened to him, preferring to remain silent.

"So it stands to reason that if we fear for the lives of others, people important to us, then we would fight harder then, too. Kakarrot is our son; my youngest and your only child. I honestly can't imagine how you must feel, being his mother and all. But I know that Kakarrot and Raditz are equally important to me. I would die for them, just as I would die for you."

Seripa frowned and glanced down. "Yeah, it makes sense. So we just embrace our emotions? Even though we've never acknowledged them before?"

"That seems to be the easiest thing to do. I don't see why we should fight something that seems so natural, even if it does challenge the way we think we should be."

She looked up at him for a moment. She was silent, obviously thoughtful, as she slipped into her underarmor. She didn't say anything until after she was fully clothed.

"It makes me wonder…" she began, lifting a hand to chew idly on her thumb.

"What's that?" Bardock asked.

"Are our emotions the key to becoming Super Saiyan?"

"It's possible. I've been wondering that myself actually, but if we want that question answered we'll have to ask Seluri."

"Hm. Right. Then let's ask her." Seripa turned on her heel and started for the door, Bardock following behind her with a chuckle.

_**DBZ**_

Amotto trudged wearily through the rain soaked night, her bare feet slipping occasionally in the slick mud. Her entire body was numb from the relentless chill of the rain, as well as the constant stinging gravity-enhanced rain. The shard she had killed the Brute with was clutched firmly in her right hand, though she had long since forgotten about it.

The blood from her kill had been washed away long ago.

She'd lost track of how long she had been walking, though it felt like an eternity. The gravity made progress slow, but the cold spurned her onward. Driving her to seek warm shelter.

Ka'bijj had advised her to verify her position relative to the complex she was seeking, but the Brute had made that impossible when he'd destroyed her pod. She had set out to what she thought was the east, hoping that she was going in the right direction. With the dark roiling clouds above she had no way to gauge directions. She was trusting instinct at this point.

Her weakened battered body made progress slow. But she hardly noticed where she was or where she was going, so lost in thought was she. It was dangerous to not pay attention, but she had to force herself away from the thought of what she'd done to that Brute. She was so close to giving up after everything that she'd endured thus far.

Despite herself she thought of the way that monster had looked at her. Her stomach churned at the memory. How many times had she seen that look of depravity on the face of another? How many times had she caught herself imagining that expression on the faces of the men around her?

A shudder ran down her spine and she crossed her arms over her breasts, giving herself a little comforting squeeze.

Every day had seemed like a nightmare with her mind caught in a perpetual state of fear, unable to interact with any man she met. She saw the ever-lasting hunger in their eyes as their gazes followed her wherever she went. Her skin constantly crawling with the feeling of always being watched.

Amotto stumbled, barely managing to keep from falling flat on her face. She steadied herself and continued her weary trudge.

Better than anyone she knew the atrocities men were capable of, and seeing the way the Brute had looked at her had reminded her of those facts.

But she also thought of Broco. She thought of how in one instant he had made her completely revaluate her opinions. For the first time she felt like she was being seen. It was…an alien feeling. Everything had happened so fast from that point, from her first meeting with Broco, that she'd been forced to forget her fear. Her survival instinct had allowed her some respite from the constant torture of past nightmares.

And then there was the imprisonment on Jynn-jin 13. A year's worth of time to forge trust, a friendship, with a complete stranger. For the first time she entertained the thought of loving a man, and a man actually loving her.

Would she ever find something like that again? Or had Broco been her one and only chance at love? She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to remember that he was dead. She didn't want to even think about meeting anyone else. He had been it for her. She knew that now. And she wished that she had accepted that sooner and told Broco how she felt about him.

Now she would never be able to.

She closed her eyes, a weak sob issued quietly. Was the universe tormenting her specifically? Everything she'd dealt with in her life from as far back as she could remember up until this point seemed designed to hurt her in the worst possible way. She remembered being unable to understand why she was mistreated so. She also remembered that it wasn't so bad in the beginning. It was only after her mother's death that the real tortures began.

She never could understand how a parent could treat their child so. But it all made sense the day she discovered that her father wasn't actually her father. She never told him that she knew, but it answered many questions she'd had growing up. It explained why he would allow Paragus to…

Her eyes opened and she stopped, suddenly dropping heavily to her hands and knees in the mud. The rain pelted her bare back and her head, little streams pouring off her smooth skin. Her body trembled, but whether it was from her injuries or from the sickness she suddenly felt she couldn't honestly say.

Her hatred for her uncle, as she had discovered that he was her real father's brother, burned in her chest. Her hatred for her 'brother' Paragus burned in her stomach…

Her stomach heaved, and she retched, but nothing came up. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. She continued to heave, her stomach lurching violently. After a few moments she stopped, but her stomach ached from the violent dry-heaves, and she collapsed to her side. She closed her eyes and lay there as the rain pelted her relentlessly.

Lightning flashed, burning the images in her mind against the back of her eyelids. She saw clearly the little abomination that Paragus had been so proud of. She felt her stomach churn as she recalled the day the monster had been born…

Her stomach heaved as she recalled the day she'd discovered she was pregnant with the little beast. Her skin crawled and she felt dirty just thinking about it.

_"It's a boy, Little Sister." _Paragus' words echoed in her mind. _"I'll call him Brolly."_

Her eyes burned and she opened them, tears spilling forth and mixing with the rain streaming down her face. Against her will she'd been forced to bear that child…The monstrosity that he was.

She tried, and was barely able, to take solace in the fact that the creature was destroyed with _Vegeta. _She would never have to see him or Paragus again.

She'd never told Broco about any of this, but she'd had the feeling that he suspected she was hiding her dark past from him. He'd never pressed her, though. Remembering that made her heart ache and her hatred for her uncle burn hotter. Why the hell had he treated her so, turning her against men for so long?

But then again, would she have told him anything at all? Would she have told him that she'd given birth to a product of incest? True she'd been unwilling, but would he have understood?

Her heart ached all the more as she realized that he would have understood. Her shoulders shook and she covered her face as she sobbed quietly.

She tried so hard to honor her mother's memory by not giving in. She tried so hard to stay strong, to keep the promise she made to her mother.

_"Don't you ever give in, Amotto. Stay strong and survive."_

"I'm trying, Mama," she choked out. "I'm t-trying so hard." _But everything has gone to shit. It's worse than you ever could have imagined. Would you have ever thought that I'd be one of the last of a dying race?_

Thunder rumbled overhead, the ground vibrating beneath her. Lighting flashed soon after and she peeked out from behind her hands as her sobs began to subside.

She was feeling sorry for herself. This much she knew. But she was so tired. She thought that by joining the Technicians she would be able to end her pain. Her respite had been brief before _Vegeta _was destroyed and she was thrust into this war for survival. She should have known that there'd never be an end to her pain…

But…she remembered when she first met Seripa. She'd heard about the woman before as Bardock's team had been a popular topic of discussion. She'd heard the rumors surrounding them, and like most of her peers had believed the group to be suicidal for some of the things they'd done.

But then she'd met Seripa and had gotten to see firsthand what the woman was capable of. She saw strength of character that she'd never before thought possible. Watching the way Seripa acted and how she'd dealt with the many life or death situations she was thrust into had given Amotto hope. Seripa had inspired her to strive for the impossible.

She felt a pang of regret for the way she'd last spoken to her friend, and she choked back a sob. Would she ever be able to apologize to her? Would she ever see her friend again?

Would she survive S.S.T.G. 5?

Yes…Yes, she would. She frowned. She'd survived her experience on Jynn-jin 13, after all. She looked to the scars that would be a constant reminder of that ordeal and she clenched her jaw. Slowly, and with a considerable amount of effort, she climbed to her feet. She tightened her grip on the shard and looked straight ahead. She started forward, moving slowly and deliberately.

She would survive this day. She would…_She would!_

Thunder boomed and then lightning flashed and she gasped, her eyes widening. She paused and narrowed her eyes waiting for the next flash of lightning. It was several minutes before thunder crashed again and then the lightning flashed.

There was no mistaking the silhouette of the complex in the distance. The apprehension of uncertainty faded and she allowed herself a weak smile as she started towards it again. There was a chance. She could still survive this day.

A vicious roar rattled her bones and she spun around quickly to see another Brute running towards her through the rain. Her eyes widened and she raised that shard up defensively, the ground beneath her feet beginning to tremble as the giant drew closer.

She had gotten her hopes up too soon she realized as her heart sank. She'd barely survived her last encounter. There was no way she'd survive this time.

"Lightning Spear!" a voice suddenly cried from the darkness.

Amotto barely had time to register the voice before a white bolt of energy blew a hole through the Brute's chest, taking the giant off his feet and dropping him to his back. She stared wide-eyed at the unmoving form.

She sank to her knees, the shard dropping into the mud beside her.

_What…?_

"Are you okay?"

She blinked, her vision blurring as she looked up at a figure standing over her. She noted the bright green, spiked mass of hair tied back into a ponytail first. She looked over the black and gold armor he wore, noting it was lacking shoulder guards. She looked up as intense dark blue eyes, softened by obvious concern, looked down upon her. She gave a weak bark of laughter and lowered her head wearily.

The man knelt down beside her and gently touched her shoulder with a gloved hand. She surprised herself by not shying away.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked again.

"No," Amotto said quietly. She shook her head and looked at him slowly. "Who are you?"

"My name is Mejai. Look, I don't know who you are or how you came to be here, but I can tell you need medical attention. There's a complex nearby that I can take you to. Is that okay?"

She gave a weak shrug. "Sure."

The man, Mejai, quirked an eyebrow before frowning in confusion. "Uh, okay. I'll be gentle."

Amotto was surprised that she didn't resist when the man picked her up. But she didn't care anymore.

She was tired of caring. So she closed her eyes.

But not before she noticed the brown tail wrapped snuggly around the man's waist.

_**DBZ**_

Blythe's luminescent green eyes looked over the pulsating energy bars in keen interest. He watched the energy pulse and arc continuously in each 'bar.'

"Hm."

He slowly raised both hands, pausing as he watched the continuous pulse.

"Right about…Now!" Both hands shot out as one of the bars briefly dimmed, and there was a flash. He was thrown backwards forcefully, violently striking the far wall.

"Oof!" He dropped to the floor in a heap as a crackling sound reached his ears. He looked up to see the bars flashing rapidly. Then they stopped, fading from existence.

He stood up shaking his smoking hands with a self-satisfied grin. "Never underestimate raw determination coupled with desperate ingenuity."

He paused and spread his senses out, nodding when he confirmed that Turles was still gone on whatever errand the princesses had sent him on.

"Gotta act fast then," he murmured as he left the brig and limped out into the corridor. He made his way to the bridge, keeping his ki suppressed as he felt it returning to him now that he was away from the ki-restrictor. They weren't going to know what hit them until it was too late.

_**DBZ**_

It happened fast. Etapa had barely recognized the man as he suddenly emerged on the bridge and started firing ki blasts at anything that moved. Chaos ensued and explosions rocked the ship, bodies being thrown violently about. Screams and cries of terror echoed all around the bridge as she looked around in frightened confusion. _Where are you Turles?_

She was on her feet in a flash as she spotted the traitorous Gylderian taking aim at Leta.

"Lady Leta!" she heard herself cry as she sprang across the bridge. Blythe fired a thin blue beam.

She saw the maniacal glee in the man's face as she slid to a stop in front of his killing beam, shielding the princess from the attack. She felt a twinge in her chest.

Then darkness.

_"ETAPA!" _a familiar voice cried suddenly, echoing in the darkness of her mind.

_ Turles…_

_**DBZ**_

Turles glared at Blythe, his hand closed firmly around the Gylderian's throat. His grip tightened slowly, the man's face beginning to turn purple and his lips blue.

"I'll kill you, Blythe," the teenager snarled.

His grip tightened more and he watched in sick satisfaction as Blythe's bloodshot eyeballs bugged out of his head, his mouth opening and closing furiously. He clutched feebly at the strong grip holding him off his feet.

"I'll kill you, ya bastard," Turles hissed angrily, his eyes narrowing. _I'll kill him good. I'll make him suffer and then I'll wipe him from existence. And I'll enjoy every second of it._

He barely heard the urgent cries behind, the voices muffled. All he was focused on was making the man in his grasp suffer for what he'd done to Etapa.

His grip suddenly tightened and he felt something snap in his grasp. Blythe's eyelids began to flutter, his eyeballs rolling into the back of his head as blood spurted from both nostrils.

"I'll kill you," Turles whispered coldly. "As I _should_ have killed you already…"

"Turles! He's finished! Put him down!"

He recognized the voice, but at the moment he couldn't place who it belonged to.

"No," he said quietly. "I'll kill him this time." He tightened his grip.

"Turles! He's already dead!"

"NO!" he suddenly roared, his eyes flashing. He cut them towards the source of the voice to see Leta staring at him wide-eyed. His eyes flashed again, and he was vaguely aware of a flash of light. "He has to pay for killing Etapa!"

"She's not dead!"

"Lies!" Turles spun around and threw Blythe's limp form across the bridge and into the far wall; Blythe exploded through the wall and crashed violently into the ground outside of the ship.

Leta grabbed Turles' arm before he could give chase and the teenager turned crazed eyes on her.

"Listen to me, Turles! I swear to you that Etapa lives! Peppa just took her to recovery!" She tightened her grip when she felt him start to pull away. "No! Please calm down!"

The teenager turned his dark eyes on her and they flashed again. He stared at her silently for several tense moments.

Then he frowned at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. His body relaxed and he exhaled slowly. His gaze flickered towards the newly created hole, but he merely gave it an impassive glance. Without a word he left the bridge, heading towards recovery.

_**DBZ**_

Leta watched Turles leave the bridge before looking towards the newly created hole. She grimaced and sighed, shaking her head.

"Oy, that boy is hot headed."

She looked around to see a red-skinned alien eyeing the hole, as well. She frowned.

"Yes, he is. Who are you?"

The man glanced at her and grinned. "Name's Jeice. I brought you some Saiyans," he said as he gestured to where Nappa, Vegeta, and Raditz were standing silently.

She looked the three of them over before looking at Jeice again. "So I'm assuming it's not a trap," she said heatedly, narrowing her eyes.

"Afraid not. Jeez are all Saiyans this paranoid?"

"Forgive us," said Surah as she stepped forward. She cast an eye around at the devastation left behind from Blythe's attack. "We have been less than fortunate recently."

Jeice nodded as he eyed Surah curiously. "No sweat." He looked around at the destroyed bridge. He grimaced. "You lot won't be taking this ship anywhere any time soon. Do you have anyone capable of repairing this?"

Lessbru, who was leaning over one of the consoles, looked around with a slight frown. "I can fix the electronics if I can get some spare parts. It will not be fancy, but it will suffice. The hole there," he said with a gesture, "is an entirely different matter."

Leta frowned as she eyed him. "Hm. Well, do what you have to." She looked at Jeice. "I assume your ship is not big enough for all of us?"

Jeice looked around at the bustling crew. Some were tending to the blessed few that were injured while the rest worked on cleaning up the mess. He shook his head as he looked back to the princess. "I'm afraid not. I was only prepared for a small group."

She nodded with a sigh. "I see. Well do you mind giving us a hand in helping get this ship space-worthy again?"

Jeice cocked his head as he surveyed the damage one last time. "Sure thing. We may be able to pull off a miracle."

"Maybe." Leta started towards the hole. "I'm going to make sure Blythe is really dead," she said grimly.

_**DBZ**_


	35. From the Ashes

_**(I really like how the biggest issue is Amotto's implausible power increase and not the fact that she was raped by her brother. Amotto did not transform into a Super Saiyan 2. Ka'bijj and Turpin were mistaken. I gave hints to suggest that she briefly tapped into something along the lines of Broly's Legendary form out of sheer desperation. And I want to put this out there. Amotto in her base form is nowhere near as powerful as Goku was when he first became a Super Saiyan. So she's not strong enough to beat either Frieza or Coola on her own. And neither were Turpin or Ka'bijj. It was only through the combined efforts of Ka'bijj and Amotto that they were able to give Coola so much trouble. But alone they were screwed.**_

_**Also, come on guys. It's just a story. I'm grateful it's enjoyed so much, but if something doesn't happen to your liking don't post an anonymous review calling the idea stupid. It's petty and pointless. Just enjoy the ride, because it's all in good fun.) **_

_**Chapter Thirty-Five: From the Ashes**_

"_I have nothing to fear  
__I have nothing to say  
__You have nothing to take this from me  
__Years of screaming in pain  
__Years of anger and rage  
__I will not be your slave."  
__**From the Ashes-In This Moment**_

_**DBZ**_

Leta stared down in contempt at Blythe as the man gurgled and twitched, blood flowing down the sides of his mouth and from his nostrils.

"No less than you deserve for your betrayal, Blythe," she muttered coldly. "Then again it is a bit merciful compared to what Tettuce would have done to you. He did not abide traitors." She scowled and nudged Blythe's head with her boot.

The Gylderian traitor's body suddenly went into violent convulsions, his mouth wide open as the gurgling grew louder, blood flying as he shook.

He finally went still, his eyes wide open and staring at nothing.

"Hm." She turned away from him and stopped when she found Vegeta standing before her, his arms folded.

"So you're the one they call Princess Leta." He arched an eyebrow as he looked her up and down. "Who exactly are you? I've never heard of any Princess Leta before."

"I would imagine not," she responded with a small smile. "My father was Spinac."

Vegeta frowned. "You're an illegitimate child then?"

"I suppose so."

"Hm. Figures." He turned away from her. "You're no princess, though. Just leave the ruling to me from now on."

Leta frowned. "Excuse me?"

He glanced at her. "I don't repeat myself to scum."

She suddenly scowled. "Listen here you little toad-"

He spun around and pointed a finger at her. "Shut your mouth you insolent wretch! Do not raise your voice to me! I am Prince Vegeta!"

She blinked at him, frowning all the while. "I am well aware of who you are, Vegeta. Apparently it is high time you became aware of who, exactly, I am." She started towards him. "I am Princess Leta, daughter of Lord Spinac. I am the eldest of the last two members of what passed for a Royal Family on Vegeta. I am—was, mated to Tettuce the Exile. I am all that is leading this paltry group of survivors and I will not bow down to a sniveling little brat like you!"

Vegeta gawped up at her. "H-how dare you!"

"Shut it, little prince. I am in no mood to deal with your attitude so just drop it for now. If you want to contest my authority, do it at a later date when we are not in such a hurry." Before he could respond she swept past him, hovering up to the hole in the ship.

She paused and looked down at him to see his shoulders trembling and his fists clenched tight at his sides. She sighed, shaking her head as she turned and entered the ship. She quickly returned to the bridge to find Jeice kneeling beside Lessbru and the bridge a flurry of movement.

She looked around at the bodies rushing all around trying to repair the damage caused by Blythe. She scowled at the thought of him. It had been a mistake to let the man live in the first place. She realized that all too clearly now.

A hand touched her arm and she looked at Surah. Her scowl vanished and she sighed at the worry in her sister's expression. She managed a smile and patted her hand.

"I am fine, Surah."

"That is a lie, Leta," her Gylderian sister said under her breath. "You have not been fine since you found out your mother was alive. You should have spoken to me by now about her. What is wrong?"

Leta stared at her sister silently for a few moments. After a while she glanced around the bridge then grabbed Surah's hand and led her out into the corridor. Once the door closed she turned to face her.

She took a breath and sighed. "Surah…You knew your parents. I knew of mine. I never had an opportunity to meet with either of them, and when my home planet was destroyed I-" She paused and looked away. "Never thought I'd have that chance. I never thought I'd be able to be angry with my mother and father, and to tell them exactly how I feel."

She smiled and shook her head. "My mother lives and I cannot think of anything to say to her. All I feel towards her is anger and resentment…But there is a part of me that earnestly desires to know her and have a mother/daughter relationship with her."

"Your pride is preventing you."

Leta looked at Surah and nodded. "Yes. It is my pride that is keeping me from seeking her out." She laughed bitterly and turned away. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

Surah stepped forward and touched her sister's shoulder. "No, you are not. You were raised by Gylderians, so of course you are nervous about how to interact with your Saiyan mother." She offered a small smile. "You blame your pride, but that is not the only thing stopping you, Leta." She reached out and touched her index finger to her sister's chest, right over her heart. "You want that relationship, but you are scared. Do not be, my sister. It is not becoming of you."

Leta smiled and grasped Surah's hand between hers. She closed her eyes and nodded. "I can always count on you to have faith in me."

"Just as I can count on _you _to have faith in _me._" Surah grinned as Leta opened her eyes.

Leta felt a little surer of herself.

_**DBZ**_

Auguinti, not for the first time, thanked his nocturnal nature as his beady eyes stared unblinking at his computer console. It was always like this for him, staying up late into the early hours of the next morning, maintaining a false vigilance that even Cold knew to be a sham.

Which was exactly why Auguinti was always able to tip toe around the Ice-jin's ever watchful gaze, capable of slipping through the microscopic shadows that belied the tiniest of holes in Cold's defense. His arrogance allowed Auguinti breathing room to wreak untold amounts of havoc on his unsuspecting shipmates.

His stubbornness, and tendencies to openly defy Cold, made him the least likely suspect. Cold believed that pride prevented him from taking that extra leap into blasphemous levels of underhandedness, never once suspecting that Auguinti was his biggest threat.

The blue alien allowed himself a reptilian grin as he narrowed his beady eyes at the image of a planet, boldly labeled S.S.T.G. 5. Auguinti had hacked into the main servers that controlled the finer workings of the Ice-jin Empire. If he so chose, he could easily, at the moment, bankrupt the entire empire.

But that was too blatant for his tastes. He preferred to pile on minor annoyances, slowly chipping away at Cold's indifference. One day he would see the vile reptile lose his cool, and it would most likely end with Auguinti's death. But the satisfaction of knowing that he'd been a constant headache to the Ice-jins was his sole reason for continuing to oppose the Regime at any and every turn.

While turning the princes into paupers was an appealing outcome, Auguinti's purpose for hacking into the server was much simpler. He intended to alter the recorded coordinates for S.S.T.G. 5 in order to give the Saiyans just a bit more time. He knew the Galactic Band would do everything in their power to ensure the rebels had ample breathing room, but he couldn't just let things unfold in the Ice-jins' favor. Not if he had the power to make a difference.

Even if it was by doing something as simple as changing some coordinates.

Auguinti's grin never faded as he carefully covered his tracks. No one would ever know a thing.

And sure enough, as the next few days unfolded as mundanely as the last, and they finally reached the recorded coordinates for S.S.T.G. 5 and found no planet, no one suspected a thing. Aside from a shattered wine glass, Cold's only reaction was to say that their enemy was clever, and far more prepared than he had originally guessed.

No one aside from Auguinti heard this, as only his ears were equipped for nearly inaudible sounds. A fact that Auguinti had not felt necessary for anyone else aside for him to be privy to.

_**DBZ**_

Time was inconsequential to Amotto, though she was aware that quite some time had passed since Seripa and Bardock's unexpected arrival to S.S.T.G. 5. But she made herself as scarce as possible, preferring to be by herself for now. Besides, she was starting to enjoy the silent serenity of the unrelenting rain. It had not stopped raining since her tumultuous arrival to the forsaken planet.

The terrain was harsh and unforgiving, the inhabitants even more so, and yet Amotto found herself with a sense of peace as she wandered through the craggy valleys and through dead, petrified forests. Rather than being put off by the forbidding appearance of the planet, she found herself fascinated by its dark beauty. The craggy upheavals that passed for mountains seemed to mirror her broken heart and her turbulent mind, reflecting the swell of emotions that surged through her being.

But because of this comparison she found herself more at ease as a Super Saiyan. In fact she spent the majority of her time as a Super Saiyan, her golden aura a beacon of light in the encompassing darkness of S.S.T.G. 5. Pebbles, twigs, small plants and insects; none were safe from the power that swelled around her constantly as she seemed almost to stroll along.

S.S.T.G. 5. She couldn't bring herself to continue to refer to this…planet as such. So she'd taken to calling it Fracture. The fissures and gigantic stalagmites seemed to her to be the giant evidence of a massive fracture in space and time. Of course she knew that wasn't the case, but her Super Saiyan mind seemed almost attracted to that idea.

She supposed it had something to do with the power that she now possessed. It was big, so instinctively her mind perceived big. She was an ant suddenly gifted the powers of a sentient being. She was a goddess now, despite the difference in power between her and Coola. For not much longer would that be the case. Sooner than the Ice-jin would ever realize, she would be the strongest being in the universe. She would be a true goddess compared to the Ice-jins, and she would exact divine justice upon them. She was, after all, the Arch-Cleric of Super Saiyans.

She had succeeded in the task Ka'bijj had left for her, so she felt confident in calling herself by the title he had bestowed upon her. She was the one and only Super Saiyan, now that Turpin and Ka'bijj had been finished off. It was only right that she wear the title.

That fact would have triggered her violent nature before. But somehow she was finding herself, even as a Super Saiyan, somehow becoming more herself. As if by constantly remaining transformed she was burning off the anger she normally felt. She'd felt comfortable, even safe, hiding beneath the veil of anger at first. Letting it control her actions rather than take responsibility and take charge of her power had been sickeningly satisfying, but it had also been only temporary. Eventually she'd felt nothing but disgust for herself.

Now she felt…well, a sort of serenity. If she was to be honest with herself, she realized one day (or night, it was really difficult to determine from the ground,) she might've let herself continue on with the self-righteous anger if it were not for the fact that her power felt…whole, more complete, when she was at peace. Anger seemed to cause her power to burn up quicker. It was a rush to let anger drive her forward, but it was wasteful. The power was intoxicating to be true, but Amotto was, or at least tried to be, a sensible person. Broco had reminded her of that; if only she'd realized it sooner.

In the days that followed the fateful battle with Coola, Amotto came to resent herself for the way she'd acted towards Ka'bijj. Really she resented the way she'd acted in general, like a selfish brat. What was worse was that she'd come to remind herself of her drunkard "father." When she'd realized that, it had churned her stomach.

Her stomach growled and she grimaced as she came to a stop, the rain falling in sheets all around her. Her glowing aura evaporated the rain drops before they could reach her, shrouding her in a second aura of steam. It growled again and she scowled, her emerald eyes glimmering as she glanced about. She was only mildly surprised to find herself surrounded by dozens of the Brute Saiyans.

They hadn't snuck up on her, of course. No, she had mistakenly wandered into the territory of one of the many tribes that were scattered across Fracture. They couldn't harm her, not that they would even try. As if driven by some instinctual fear, they gave her a wide berth. They watched her warily, eyes clouded with fear, but not one ever made a movement against her. They were simple creatures, but even they knew when and whom to respect.

Amotto couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. By the sounds of her stomach she could guess that it had been a day or two. She sighed and glanced over her shoulder, but almost immediately frowned. Great, she couldn't remember where the complex was. She sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Great, Amotto. The most powerful being for light-years and you're lost. Brilliant really."

"You could circle this planet a dozen times in less than five minutes, and you think you're lost."

Amotto would have bristled before and retorted angrily—and had on a few occasions—but her attitude had changed drastically. Instead she merely smirked and turned to see the mysterious Mejai enveloped in a strange silver aura, holding the sizzling meat of some freshly cooked beast, and wearing the same style armor he'd worn upon their first meeting.

"You really are a dense woman," he said pointedly before taking a bite of the juicy meat. "No wonder you're always so angry." His eyes stared at her with an intensity as sharp as the words he tossed her way. "It's easily apparent how your hands could be as red with death as they are."

Amotto's smirk faded and her eyes hardened. She matched Mejai's focus, her glimmering hues unreadable and dark.

After a moment she spoke, her voice steely and cold as death, "I made my mistakes, and I'll have to live with them. I know this better than anyone, especially you."

Mejai cocked a green eyebrow as he stared unblinking at her. After a few moments he smirked. "You sound like a monk or something."

"Isn't that the general idea?" Amotto asked with a matching smirk.

"I suppose so. Anyway, enough of that. I have more food if you're interested." He nodded towards the half-devoured meat in his hand.

Amotto opened her mouth to respond, but her stomach growled loudly. She scowled down at her mid-section and sighed, "Even if I wasn't, my stomach sure is and isn't afraid to make it known."

"At least some part of you speaks its mind." Mejai grinned and quickly finished off the hunk of meat, lazily tossing away a handful of bones. He suddenly bowed dramatically to her, kicking his leg out with a flourish. "A feast awaits, my lady."

The female Super Saiyan rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Always with the theatrics. What is your deal?"

Mejai straightened up with a shrug, grinning all the while. "It's fun, I guess. I don't know, I like teasing you."

"That's dangerous, you know. You're messing with a being of indescribable power here." She was vaguely aware that the distance between them was shrinking.

"I think I can handle one little Super Saiyan." Mejai's hand was on her cheek and his silver aura was blending with her golden one.

"I'm more of a handful than you realize," she whispered urgently, her green eyes locked onto his dark blue.

"I'll say."

She could never exactly pinpoint the moment this affair had begun. Time had become inconsequential to her. It was meaningless, even though she was aware that several weeks had already come and gone.

And though time was inconsequential, she still found herself thinking that not enough time had passed since Broco's death. She felt the familiar sting of guilt wrenching her heart, even as her body was overcome with the most glorious feeling she'd ever experienced. Mejai's touch was gentle and assuring, compared to the rough, domineering experiences of her past. She felt the pleasurable touch of this mysterious man and she enjoyed it, but not as thoroughly as she'd have liked.

Pain, misery, and guilt occupied large portions of her heart, she was all-too painfully aware. Before, during, and after as she lay on the damp floor of the cave she and Mejai had retreated to. A small fire blazed away, bathing their sweat-glistened bodies in a metallic orange sheen. As her emerald hues reflected the firelight, she could feel Mejai's slow, steady breathing as his bare chest touched her back, sending chills up her spine. She cringed, but an absently gentle touch to her arm relaxed and reassured her. She couldn't help but to look inquisitively at the man she barely knew as he still slept on. The mysterious man who had not only rescued her, but seemed to be taming the Super Saiyan beast she had become.

Was this okay? Part of her wanted so much for it to be, but another part of her knew that it could never be okay. Could she really love this man the way she'd loved Broco?

No, of course not. But she could still love him. Couldn't she?

She didn't know. And that was why, ever so silently but swiftly, she donned her armor and left the cave, venturing back out into the unrelenting rain.

She stood, unprotected by her aura, as the rain coursed rivulets down her face, her neck, her arms, legs…Momentarily stunned by the cool, refreshing feel of it, she stared into the blackened heavens of this forbidding planet. A small smirk touched her lips as she realized that amidst the ugliness of this Fractured planet, she'd managed to find a measure of beauty. It was wholly unexpected, and definitely not where she would have expected it.

Slowly she turned to the cavern entrance and frowned ever so slightly. Maybe this could be okay. Her and Mejai…She knew next to nothing about him, but that was her own doing. And, she realized with a slight start, she knew more than she realized. She knew his mannerisms, and his personality. She didn't have to know anything beyond that for her to know that she was developing an attachment to him.

But what kind? Her frown deepened and she stepped slowly away from the entrance, a ghost of her past timidity briefly taking over. She quickly quelled the feeling firmly, and turned resolutely from the entrance. Her aura flared to life silently, instantly drying her and enveloping her in a cloud of steam.

She looked up into the sky as red bolts of lightning lanced across the clouds. She recalled an all-too recent time when her thoughts would have driven her to anger. Was she marshaling control of her Super Saiyan state? It was true that she'd been in the state for longer than she could remember, even sleeping as a Super Saiyan. Of course it was mostly due to the fact that her base power was not quite enough to handle the intense gravity of the Training Ground planet. Also it had allowed her to run rampant at first and kill dozens of Brutes. Maybe even hundreds, who really knew?

What would happen to her if she were to suddenly revert back to her base form? Would all of that adjusting be for naught the next time she transformed? Would she revert back to being that feral beast?

She liked to think that she wouldn't. She was certain she'd figured out the true trick behind transforming at will and hoped that would keep her from using anger as a constant trigger.

Maybe it was time to give up her reluctance and find out for sure. There really was only one way to know for certain.

She took a breath, and then exhaled it slowly, her hair darkening to green and her eyes to black. Instantly she felt the gravity pulling her down, making even standing a chore. She grimaced but it quickly became a smirk.

"Heh. Just walking would make for great training here."

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Amotto."

She started and turned around as quickly as she could, encumbered as she was. She frowned as Mejai, wearing nothing but his underarmor, strode out of the cavern purposefully, his body enveloped in his silver aura.

"What do you mean?" she ventured cautiously. She did not know anything about this man, not even why he was even on this planet to begin with.

He smirked and carefully gathered his thick green locks up, deftly tying them into a ponytail. "Ka'bijj may have neglected to mention me, but I am your true teacher and your final test. And your true training begins now."

She cocked an eyebrow as she regarded him. "Are you serious? Do you really think you can handle _me_? I'm a Super Saiyan, for Kami's sake."

"A fact that has not escaped my notice, just as the fact that you are weaker than me has not escaped my notice." He smoothly slid into an odd fighting stance, his arms raised and his hands turned at awkward angles, while his legs took on sharp angles.

"Maybe right now, but when I transform-"

"It won't help you!" he suddenly shouted, vanishing almost immediately afterwards.

"Wha-?" Amotto barely had time to utter before her head suddenly snapped backward, and her feet flew out from under her. Before that fact had fully registered in her consciousness, she was splayed on her back in a perfectly outlined indention of her body. She blinked and then cringed as fierce pains erupted in her jaw and her stomach, simultaneously.

_What the fuck…?_ Her mind was clouded with the pain, but she forced herself to focus as she struggled against the gravity and the pain to her feet. The rain felt like falling stones as she glanced around for Mejai, who had, it seemed, disappeared.

She focused on her ki, focusing on the trigger to her Super Saiyan form. She called on it, willing her body to undergo the change into the being of legend. But just as she felt her ki begin to swell, she was struck from the side and sent sailing through the air.

She struck the ground at an angle, chunks of rock flying from the force of her impact and the momentum with which she tore through the planet's surface, a deep trench left in her wake. She would have continued on uncontrollably if Mejai had not appeared and dropped down onto her stomach, causing the ground to crater beneath her as she was brought to a sudden, and rather violent, halt.

As she struggled to suck air into her severely collapsed lungs, Mejai knelt by her side, his ever-intense dark blue eyes meeting her own bewildered gaze. "Once there were ten of these planets, Amotto. Each planet was different; their environments geared towards different aspects of a single test that potential Clerics had to undergo. The test was a Rite of Passage to become a Super Saiyan."

She managed a frown at him and he smirked. "You've come a long way since your arrival here. I never thought you, with that volatile personality of yours, would have achieved the control you have over your transformation. But I have noticed that you have not reverted and then tried to transform again. Which means you are afraid of losing the control you have gained. I've waited until this day because of that fear."

He leaned down until all she could see in her field of vision was his smirking face. "Only now that you are ready to conquer that fear, can I truly test whether or not you are deserving of the Arch-Cleric title. Transform if you can. But know that if you transform in rage, I will find you undeserving of the title." He drew away, standing up to tower over her prone form. "You do not want to be found undeserving."

"I-I imagine…you'll k-kill me?" She cringed as she slowly sat up, pain shooting through her stomach to her back. Her whole body hurt, but the pain enveloping her stomach and back was something special.

"Yes, I will."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "All I have to do is transform without getting mad?"

"It's not as simple as it sounds."

"So I've gathered." She smiled and cocked her head. "Watch this." Her ki spiked, the ground cracked further and her hair stood on end.

But before her aura had even appeared, let alone her eyes and hair changing color, Mejai had lunged at her and round-house kicked her across her chest, sending her rolling backwards across the ground.

With a curse, Amotto flared her ki as hard as she could and she was suddenly sailing into the sky. Her eyes flitted back and forth, up and down, as she tried to find Mejai before he could strike her again. He wasn't going to give her any chances to transform. Just as soon as she flared her ki, he was going to attack her all-out. He was _trying _to piss her off.

She smirked. So THAT was his game. Piss her off and force her to transform out of rage. Well that wasn't going to happen.

She cast a glance over her shoulder and her golden aura suddenly erupted to life, her hair standing on end and beginning to flash.

Just as quickly, two elbows crashed into the top of her head and she was slamming face-first violently into the ground, chunks of dirt and rock exploding all around her as blood erupted from her mouth and nose.. She lay deathly still—though she wasn't dead; only wishing she was—as chunks of rocky debris clattered down around her. Mejai touched down at her side just as her eyes closed.

"Truly pathetic, but no less than I expected. Without your precious transformation, you're nothing."

_"Nothin' but scum!"_

"No…" Amotto whispered. She didn't hear Mejai's words as clearly as she'd heard those last three words. Her "father's" voice was unmistakable.

Mejai arched an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Her eyes cracked open and she turned her head to look at him with a slight smile. Slowly she struggled to her feet, fighting against waves of weakness and the intense gravity. She stared at him, her gaze unwavering despite her trembling knees and shoulders.

"All my life…I've been told I was nothing. Trash, scum…the works." She laughed quietly, slowly shaking her head. "If not…for my mother…I'd probably be dead now. She taught me the secret to surviving and thriving…under adverse conditions." She grinned. "She also taught me…the key to becoming a Super Saiyan."

Mejai smiled slightly. "And what, pray tell, is the secret?"

Amotto had transformed before the words had completely left his mouth, her aura shining bright as a sun in the blackness of the rain swept landscape. Mejai's eyes widened and his mouth hung open as he stared at her golden hair and emerald eyes in a pleased sort of bewilderment.

She smirked at the look in his eyes. "She taught me raw determination when the odds are stacked against me. She taught me to never give up, to keep on fighting no matter what." She waggled a finger at him as she suddenly grinned, "And that just so happens to be the key to finding the trigger for this form. I was determined not to use anger to transform, but anger was how I found out how to transform. Because even while I was angry, I was also determined to make the ones who'd angered me pay for what they did to my friend, Broco. It was determination, not anger that had originally triggered the state. Anger triggers determination, but it is quicker, and so much more efficient, to become _determined._"

Mejai suddenly began to clap. She blinked at him, her grin fading a bit. "What?"

"You were so angry when I first met you that I'd believed that to be your true personality. But your words just now completely contradict that belief. I apologize," he said as he bowed low to her.

Amotto took on a sudden sheepish demeanor as he straightened up. She grimaced and scratched her arm, shifting uncomfortably. "No, I'm really not that angry. I just…It's been a rough year, to say the least." She suddenly wrapped her arms about herself, absently gripping at the scars left behind from her brush with death. "A lot's happened, Mejai, and it's happened so fast."

She smiled grimly and murmured, "Too fast to make sense of sometimes." She lifted her gaze to regard him with the shadow of despair clear in her beautifully brilliant emerald hues. With a quiet sigh she looked down. "My people became an endangered species overnight. I've lost friends and…" she trailed off with a frown. "My friends," she said after a silent moment, "meant more to me than anyone or anything in this entire universe. And I've lost so many since Frieza destroyed my home planet. I've been imprisoned for months, I've been blown to pieces, and I've been forced to watch and accept the death of the first man I ever loved."

She trailed off and looked up at him slowly. "What hurts the most, though…" She suddenly laughed bitterly, her eyes sparkling with the threat of tears. "I never had a chance to tell him. To tell him anything, really…" she said with a sob, tears sliding down her cheeks slowly.

Mejai regarded her in silence for a moment, the only sounds being the steady beat of the rain on the stony ground and the hum of the two auras. He stepped forward, his aura merging with hers as he wrapped his arms around her. She responded immediately, throwing her arms around him and clinging desperately to him. She didn't sob any more after that first one, but he still felt her tears soaking into his underarmor. But he didn't complain. He just smiled sadly and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"And being with me tears you up inside, doesn't it?"

She nodded against him, saying nothing in response.

He chuckled and she looked up at him in sudden surprise, her eyes bloodshot and teary. "I mean nothing by laughing. It's just…I get it. I mean it makes sense, and it explains a lot."

She nodded slowly and then smiled slightly. "Yeah. It's been…well, it's hurt a lot. But…despite everything Broco isn't coming back, right?" she said quietly. "I have to accept that someday, no matter how much I don't want to." She sighed and looked away. "But at the same time, there's some things that not even time can erase. And that's how strongly I loved Broco. I'll never stop loving him."

Mejai gently touched his finger to her lips, startling her into silence with the unexpected gesture. "Just as you've kept your past from me, I've kept mine from you." He looked square into her eyes and smiled. "The past isn't what's important anyway. It doesn't take away from what you felt or experienced, but those are lessons learned. Hard lessons, sometimes, yes, but each and every one of them is as important as the lessons you still have to learn. And those are the most important. The lessons of now are the ones you need to focus on. I doubt Broco would want you to stay trapped within your past."

Amotto stared at him for a moment before frowning and brushing his finger away from her face. She arched an eyebrow and then sighed. "I hate you for being right, you know."

He grinned and shrugged. "Hey, if I'm not hated for something at least once a day, my whole day is ruined." He turned and hovered into the air, his silver aura shimmering into view. "Come on, let's get back to the complex. You have some friends waiting on you."

She smiled slightly as he suddenly took off. "Yeah, and I owe them some explanations," she whispered to herself. She took off after Mejai in an explosion of gold.

_**DBZ**_

Cold twirled his wine glass, his eyes passively glued to the swirling black liquid it held. As always he stood before the massive view screen that revealed the blackness of space; beside him Coola stood still in his full powered state, his arms folded and his fingers drumming impatiently across a purple bicep.

"Frieza is as irritatingly foolish as ever, Father," Coola muttered resentfully. "He's insistent on continuing to shame our name with his idiotic antics. I had hoped that he would have learned from my fight with the Super Saiyans, but he insists on ignoring the truth."

Cold smiled slightly. "Yes, he does. Have you shown yourself to him, yet?" he asked suddenly, causing Coola to jerk in surprise.

Coola frowned and turned his head away slightly. "No, I have not."

"Then he assumes that he is still stronger than you. It's inexcusable, of course, but it is wholly Frieza." A slight frown creased the giant Ice-jin's brow. "Perhaps it is truly seeing is believing with Frieza. I understand he under-estimated Tettuce's power on Jynn-jin 13, but that was not even enough to convince him of their danger. The Saiyans…Hm. I'm beginning to think I should regret not destroying them myself decades ago. We certainly would not be in this predicament if I had."

"We wouldn't be in this predicament if Frieza had not acted so foolishly, Father. But these Saiyans will not defeat us. We will crush that female Super Saiyan, and eradicate every last one of the remainders from the universe." Coola unfolded his arms and held his fists up in a show of might.

Cold smirked and glanced down at his eldest son. "I admire your certainty given you've faced down not one, but three Super Saiyans. Though now that they've appeared, even more will begin to appear. A dangerous case of monkey-see, monkey-do." He looked back to the glass in his hand. His eyes narrowed slightly and the surface of the liquid was disturbed by a continuous surge of ripples. "One ripple is all it takes."

"But ripples eventually fade, Father."

"Not these, Coola." He tore his concentrated gaze from the liquid and the ripples faded almost instantly. He adopted his passive stare as he looked upon the sea of stars spread out before him. "You fought two dying Super Saiyans and one inexperienced female. You were lucky. Next time…" he smirked and lifted his glass to take a sip from it. "Practice caution with these Saiyans, Coola. If you and Frieza heed my warnings, you may just prevail."

"You can be sure that I will heed caution from now on, Father," Coola said as he folded his arms again. "But I do firmly believe that we will crush these Super Saiyans in time. Provided Frieza does not exacerbate our current situation," he added with a grimace.

Cold frowned. "Yes, your brother does tend to make a mess of things. He's rather good at it, actually."

"Unfortunately. What is he doing right now?"

"If he hasn't decided to disobey me, he should be overseeing the defense of Omega Territory in the Northern Quadrant. That system is very valuable to us, as I am sure Frieza realizes. If he knows what's good for him, he'll remain there until I summon him."

Coola frowned in confusion. "Uh, how exactly is Omega Territory valuable to us? That system is mostly uninhabited."

"True. But within the Territory there lies a very important planet. You see, we do not currently know the whereabouts of the renegade Saiyans. But…" Cold trailed off and smiled thinly, his eyes narrowing with a sinister gleam. "Bardock and Seripa have a son named Kakarrot, and he is currently hidden on a planet known as Earth and it lies somewhere within the heart of Omega Territory. Also, I've tracked the renegade Gylderians hiding Lady Aurah to the Terriory, which leads me to believe that they are on Earth, as well."

"That's odd." Coola frowned. "You don't suppose that's where the _Galactic Band _is hiding, do you?"

Cold didn't answer, but he smiled.

Coola took that as an indication that he had guessed what his father was thinking and fell silent.

_**DBZ**_

Seripa dashed across the rain-soaked landscape, the ground exploding in her wake as she just barely outran rapid-fire ki attacks. Her red-hued aura raged as she sprinted, pushing her body to its limits against the intense gravity of S.S.T.G. 5. She watched the ki attacks out of the corner of her eye, her focus mainly limited on where she was going and where Bardock was located.

As he was the one delivering those powerful attacks he was her ultimate focus, but she currently had to evade his sudden attack. He'd almost caught her with this one and had quickly put her on the defensive. But she'd find an opening. She'd find an opportune moment to go back on the offensive and beat the crap out of him.

The ground several meters in front of her suddenly exploded, momentarily diverting her attention as she skid to a stop and flared her ki to propel her as she flipped to the side quickly. She looked up towards Bardock to suddenly find him almost on top of her.

She grinned fiercely. "Close quarters?! Really?!"

He returned the grin. "Yep!" he cried as his fist shot around towards her face.

She danced back out of the way of the first punch; her hands flying up to quickly deflect each of the next ones he threw her way.

"Come on, Bardock! I _know_ you can do better than this!" Seripa crowed as she shot backwards, deflecting every punch he launched at her.

Bardock smirked as he charged after her, his fists cracking through the air like lighting. "Maybe. You've gotten a lot stronger, you know!"

"Are you saying that I've surpassed you?"

"I don't know. Have you?"

She suddenly caught his next two punches, stopping instantly and jarring him roughly. Before he could react she released him and jumped up to deliver a kick to his jaw, only to watch in dismay as he ducked under her leg, firing a ki blast into her exposed stomach in the same instant. It didn't immediately explode, instead carrying her backwards for several dozen meters before exploding violently, throwing her roughly into the dangerously craggy ground.

Bardock grinned as he looked over the crater her landing had resulted in. "This planet's gravity is amazing. How powerful have we be-" He stopped as he realized that Seripa wasn't lying in the middle of the crater, and hadn't been for several seconds. "What the hell?"

"Way too transparent, Bardock!" He spun around, but suddenly found himself on the wrong end of a massive red ball of ki.

"Shit!" He uttered just as it impacted, exploding much more violently than his. The resulting crater overlapped and dwarfed the one he'd left behind, with him lying where they met, his blue and black armor almost completely obliterated, and his underarmor all-but shredded from his body.

But his arms were crossed and his legs were tucked close to his torso.

Seripa arched an eyebrow as she hovered over her fallen mate, her entire body soaked with sweat, her hair plastered to her forehead. She was breathing heavily as she smirked down at him.

"Come on! You're not done already are you?"

Bardock uncrossed his arms and straightened his legs out as he slowly opened his eyes. He stared up at her with a grin, his chest heaving heavily.

"Not quite!" He cried as he suddenly jumped to his feet. He casually brushed some dust from his arms. "That was incredible, Seripa." He smirked up at her. "If we keep going like this, we'll be Super Saiyans in no time."

Seripa grimaced and dropped down to stand in front of him. "It doesn't work like that, Bardock. We don't just _become_ Super Saiyans. We have to find the trigger for the transformation. Haven't you been paying attention to Seluri?" she asked with a scowl. Surely he had. They'd only had to listen to her lectures every morning for the last few weeks.

"Yeah I have," he said with a slight grimace. "I meant the damage you dealt me. At the rate our powers are increasing, I think we're eventually going to push one another over the edge." He grinned. "We'll trigger it that way, too."

"You'll just be wasting energy," Amotto said as she suddenly appeared between them, hair golden and emerald hues locked sternly on him.

Bardock blinked. It'd been weeks since he'd last seen the elusive female. "Well, well. If it isn't the reclusive Amotto." He smirked as he crossed his arms. "What brings you to speak to us lowly peons?"

Seripa struck him across the back of his head hard enough to make him yelp and clutch his head. She glanced at Amotto to see her eye twitch as the corner of her mouth lifted in a slight smile.

Amotto bowed her head slightly and grinned. "I figured it was time the goddess addressed the mere mortals on how to ascend."

Seripa blinked in surprise at her friend. It'd been weeks since she'd seen her, and the last time had been less than pleasant. Bardock always seemed keen on making some smart-ass remark towards her, which often resulted in Bardock getting beaten into unconsciousness. So her playful remark was surprising, to say the least.

Bardock scowled at Seripa before glancing curiously at Amotto. "You've finally pulled your tail out of your tw-"

"BARDOCK!" Seripa screeched as she jabbed an elbow into her mate's ribs, earning herself a reproachful yelp. "Cool off will ya?!" she growled at him, narrowing her eyes.

Bardock scowled down at her. "What's the big idea? _She's _the one who's had the damn attitude! Why can't I respond in kind?"

"Need I remind you that she's put you into a rejuvenation chamber once already thanks to your smart-ass remarks?"

"What's your point? She hasn't killed me."

"Yet."

Bardock and Seripa both glanced at Amotto with arched eyebrows.

"What does that mean?" demanded Bardock as Amotto smirked.

"It means I may still kill you. Now shut up. Both of you," she added with a glance towards Seripa. "The plan is to fight the Cold Family, right?"

"Yeah, that's the plan," Seripa said with a glance exchanged with Bardock.

"Good, because it's going to take all of us as Super Saiyans to pull that off. I thought I could take Coola on by myself, but I see now that I wasn't strong enough. And I'm still not." She smiled despite the hopelessness of her words. "But that's fine. This isn't solely my war, after all. You've lost just as much as I have to the Ice-jins, so it's only right that you should fight them on even footing. So I think it's time you two became Super Saiyans."

"Past time if you ask me," said the mysterious Mejai as he suddenly appeared at Amotto's side. Seripa blinked between Amotto and Mejai as they exchanged glances, their eyes revealing an unspoken conversation between them. She arched an eyebrow in confusion.

_**DBZ**_

Turles took it all in. The blue sky with wisps of white clouds, the crisp air, the lush greenery, and the towering mountaintops; he allowed his senses to become awash with the beautiful brilliance of this uncharted paradise of a planet. With a name like Earth one would never expect such raw and magnificent, untold beauty.

He stood on a sharp, jutting ridge overlooking an endless expanse of treetops. Just on the horizon, little more than jagged edges of his vision, he could see the distant peaks of a range that stretched across the landscape, growing larger as it curved back towards the very mountain on which he stood. The wind whistled up the side of the mountain in a steady stream, his hair waving a continuous rhythm.

Beside him, Etapa raised a hand to shield her eyes against the sun as she peered out over the forest. "Sure is big. No wonder it took so long to walk through." She glanced at him with a mock sour glare. "It'd taken less time if you hadn't insisted on not flying."

"It'd taken less time if you'd let me just blast us a path," he countered with an arch of his eyebrow as he looked at her.

"And destroy the homes of countless native organisms? Not a chance!" She said with a laugh as she took to the air, rising rapidly towards the peak of the low-lying mountain.

Turles rolled his eyes and shot after her.

He'd lost track of the time they'd been on Earth. Once he was free from the ship, Turles took it upon himself to set out and find his nephew, Kakarrot. Raditz had wanted to accompany him, but he'd felt the boy would be better off staying behind.

He really didn't want to be slowed down by a kid. Of course he'd had similar objections when Etapa declared that she was accompanying him. He protested, but she was stubborn. Eventually he caved and allowed her to join him, knowing that she'd end up slowing him down.

As it turned out she kept up with the pace he set just fine, so his sour mood brightened pretty quickly.

They'd started the journey by flying and just looking over the landscape, but eventually they took to wandering by foot. Turles didn't say why, but he'd wanted to experience the land the way the natives did. And though he had suggested blasting a path through the forest for them, he'd meant it as nothing more than a joke. After seeing the planet the way he had he would have never desecrated its beauty in such a violent fashion.

Just a few weeks and he was feeling like a soft-hearted fool. But as he ascended, skimming over the face of the mountain, he was grinning ear to ear at the sheer joy of just being alive. Something about being on Earth just made all of his anger, tension, and frustration just evaporate. Little more than a month on world and he was ready to believe that his people could actually find peace on this rural planet.

He reached the mountain's peak at the same time as Etapa, and they both came to an immediate halt as they caught sight of the landscape beyond the massive valley. Rolling hill-like mountains rose from low-lying clouds that concealed much of the terrain from view.

What had stopped them, however, was the sight of a monstrous winged beast with a triangular head resting in a massive nest on a ridge just below the peak. It gave a startled squawk at their sudden appearance, flapping its wings in indignant protest.

Turles and Etapa quickly ascended away from the creature just as it snapped its beak-like maw at them.

"That's a new one," Turles said as he watched the creature curiously.

"It sure doesn't like being snuck up on," Etapa added with a grin. "I say we leave it alone."

"Hm." Turles tilted his head slightly. "Yeah. It doesn't seem like it could put up much of a fight anyway." He shrugged and started forward, heading towards the rolling mountains. Etapa followed.

Once they were far enough away from the flying beast they began to descend into the thick clouds. They dropped through them for what seemed an eternity before they broke through into a vast green landscape dotted with rolling hills, meadows, and thick wooded areas. Well-trod paths wove a meandering course across the quaint landscape.

As they made their away over the land, they began to spot signs of primitive habitation. Usually hut-like houses, but occasionally they spotted what Etapa called farms. Turles couldn't quite grasp the concept she explained to him, so he took her at her word. They flew on, ignoring the startled exclamations of the natives as they shot overhead.

Eventually they came upon a low-lying range of craggy mountains interceded by a roaring river that quickly became a steep, crashing waterfall.

Turles suddenly came to a stop as he spotted an ancient rope bridge stretching across the misty emptiness halfway down the waterfall.

"What a pathetic excuse for a bridge," he noted as Etapa came to his side.

She blinked down at it and frowned. "Yeah. See that old man with that infant starting across? Either he has complete faith in the bridge, or he's very negligent."

Turles looked to where she pointed and his focus immediately became intense. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to get a good look at the infant. He began to drift closer to better able discern the distant details. "I'm not sure, but I think that's Kakarrot!" He was finally close enough to make out the tell-tale wild hairstyle that seemed to curse the males in his lineage. He suddenly shot towards the bridge "It is him!"

Etapa quickly followed with a cry of "Are you sure?!"

"Pretty damn sure," he responded with a smirk.

As they swooped in towards the bridge, the infant suddenly stretched out from the basket he was riding in on the old man's back, swiping at a fluttering insect that passed close to him. But not close enough as he suddenly toppled out of the basket and over the side of the bridge. The old man saw him go, but he was too slow as he made a grab for the boy, barely missing the boy's suddenly-exposed tail.

"GOKU!" the old man cried despairingly, clinging to the side of the bridge as he could only watch helplessly.

"Shit!" cursed Turles as he put on an extra surge of speed, rocketing past the old man in a flash. He shot into the mist, immediately catching up to the falling babe. Turles smirked in amusement at the startled expression on Kakarrot's face.

"Hey there, kiddo!" Turles crowed as he scooped the infant out of the air and came to a stop.

Kakarrot looked all around in wonder, his eyes wide. Turles grinned. The kid couldn't understand what had happened, but he was definitely aware that something weird was going on. Evident in his constant glances to Turles' feet.

"Yeah, we're flying kid." Turles quickly shot out of the mist and landed lightly on the bridge in front of the startled, but otherwise grateful, old man.

"Oh thank you, young man! Thank you!" He reached for Kakarrot, tears glistening in his eyes and staining his thick, white mustache. "If I'd lost little Goku, I don't know what I would have done!"

Turles arched an eyebrow, but made no move to give up his nephew.

The old man blinked and looked up at him, suddenly gasping in astonishment. "My word! You look just like him! You're not his father, are you?"

Etapa laughed as she landed behind the old man. "Lucky for the kid, no."

Turles scowled at her. "Watch it, woman." He looked at the old man and shook his head. "No, I'm his uncle. My brother Bardock is his father, and I'm sure he wouldn't be too happy about what just happened."

The old man smiled pleasantly. "No harm, no foul. Goku is unscathed, thanks to you."

"His name is Kakarrot."

"Kakarrot, eh? So that's it, alright. You kids are aliens, right?" the old man suddenly said.

Turles blinked, arching a brow slightly. "You figured that quickly. Is it obvious?"

"I did find the rascal in what I thought was a spaceship, so I'd say so." The old man laughed, and adjusted the basket on his back. "Name's Son Gohan. Who are you?"

"I'm Etapa, and he's Turles."

"Alien names for sure," Gohan mumbled amiably, his moustache twitching with his mirth.

Etapa couldn't help but to grin at the old man. He was friendlier than anyone she'd ever met in her life, and she couldn't help but to be swayed by his demeanor. "We're Saiyans from Planet _Vegeta._"

"Saiyans, eh? Y'all surely look human enough to me. Though it is true that my eyesight ain't what it used to be." He chuckled. "Age is a funny thing, but I'm quite positive little Goku and yourselves look mighty human to me. Save for the tails, of course."

"Is that your way of saying we're welcome here?" Turles asked dryly.

The old man hesitated before shrugging and saying, "In a sense, I suppose. 'Tis true that most humans aren't exactly acceptin' of differences. Lookin' human-like works in your favor."

Turles snorted and glanced down at his curious nephew. "That why you took in Kakarrot? Because you thought he was a human infant?"

"Oh, no. I knew he wasn't human. The spaceship and the tail were dead giveaways." Gohan chuckled wheezily. "I just thought it was a shame that the little fellow was all alone in the wilderness."

"Right. Well we'll be taking him off your hands. His parents will want him back among his own kind."

"Wait, wait! Just like that?" Gohan exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah, just like that," Turles said flatly.

"Won't you at least let me visit with him for a little while longer? At least come by my home for supper! I'll do all the cooking."

At the mention of cooking Turles' ears twitched, and he glanced sharply at Etapa as his stomach rumbled faintly.

Etapa smirked and winked at him, to which he responded with a scowl. She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess we can spare enough time for…supper, was it? Yes, supper."

"Oh wonderful news, just wonderful. Come, come. Follow me, my house is just over the next few hills. It'll take no time at all." He hummed jovially as he made his way past Turles and across the bridge.

Etapa grinned as she stared at him. "He certainly is friendly. And it seems like he's been taking good care of Kakarrot."

Turles eyed his nephew carefully. "Yeah, I think I'd have to agree. Other than letting him fall towards what would have most likely been death, of course."

"Oh, please. If he's really got any of your blood in his veins then I think his head would have been hard enough to save him."

Turles shot her a reproachful look as she laughed.

_**DBZ**_

Leta stood on a balcony overlooking the pristine courtyard of the People's Palace, as the natives of Earth called it. Her mind, for once, was devoid of thought or anxiety. True the natives had been suspicious of them upon their initial arrival. Turles and Etapa dashing off into the sunset hadn't helped their situation either.

They had landed the ship near to what they had, correctly fortunately, ascertained to be the capital of the largest continent. They had no way of knowing if the planet had a one-world government, or if it was split off into factions. They knew the planet held an advanced society, though primitive to galactic standards, so the Saiyans and Gylderians didn't know if they'd achieved world-wide unity.

They quickly discovered that Earth was a divided mess when the King approached and asked which "country" they had come from.

Turles had responded before either Leta or Surah could grasp his question, indifferently telling the King they were from space. He'd been out in the field so he'd encountered, and eradicated, races that had been divided in similar fashion. It was an altogether alien concept to Leta and Surah.

The King and his army were on high alert after that, all weapons in the vicinity trained on them. Leta smiled at the memory as Turles had walked to an oddly-shaped armored vehicle with a cylindrical protrusion pointing at him, and effortlessly bent the protrusion so that it pointed skyward.

_"We ain't your enemies,"_ Turles had said. _"And if we were, we're capable of much more than what I just did. You'd stand no chance against even this small group."_

After making his declaration, Turles and Etapa had then taken to the sky and simply flown away. He had mentioned to her, briefly and in passing, before landing that he'd want to set out in search of his nephew soon. Leta just hadn't known it'd be quite that soon.

The cool night air whistled through her short hair and she smiled blissfully. It had taken some time, though in truth it was still taking time, to gain the trust of the natives. Surah privately commented that she believed the only reason they'd given them hospitality in their palace was because Leta had promised she could end war forever on Earth. The King had been especially interested in that, as well his military leaders, and quite obviously for different reasons.

There were daily discussions with the King and his council, as well as a team of top scientists headed by a man named Dr. Briefs. They usually consisted of requests and agreements. Leta and Surah put forth the request for refugee status, and asked that their people be granted sanctuary on Earth. They wanted their people to be allowed integration into normal society, so that they would find peace and happiness.

They, of course, explained their situation and their reasons for the request. They told them all of the intergalactic war that had been waging for centuries without disturbing their tiny, rural planet. Calling Earth rural seemed to offend some of those present, although Dr. Briefs merely seemed amused by it, while the King displayed obvious concern. They explained everything, even telling them about the Ice-jins and how their power was overwhelming, even to the Saiyans and Gylderians. This fact greatly disturbed the natives, as they could just barely fathom beings with the strength Turles had displayed. To learn that even he was outmatched by a something even more monstrous…It was obvious that the natives were learning just how tiny and insignificant all their earthly problems and petty disputes were.

To Leta and Surah's delight, the natives quickly began to outline plans to introduce their world to the Saiyans and Gylderians. They even began plans to begin planning trade with other planets, even though up until the renegade's arrival they'd believed they were alone in the universe, and had yet to be contacted by any other planets for such interaction. The natives really liked planning, and apparently really liked trading.

So Leta got the King in touch with Zarbon, taking that opportunity to inform him of her 'hostage situation' with Jeice. Of course the Aotian wasn't the least bit perturbed by the revelation, seeming to be amused instead. This did nothing to allay any of Leta's suspicions regarding him, and even irritated her. But it also did nothing to determine whether or not he was a cunning enemy.

All in all things seemed to be going better than expected. A few of her people had already managed to become part of the Earthling society, getting jobs in various fields that they were qualified for. Lessbru and Peppa, for instance, were high-ranking officials in the military within two weeks of their arrival on Earth.

Leta, Surah, and Jeice had become sort of ambassadors for the different people they represented. Leta, the Saiyans; Surah, the Gylderians; and Jeice, the _Galactic Band._ His presence presented a major problem in that he was a Ginyu. His prolonged absence would, and had been, noticed. Zarbon solved that issue by releasing false information of Jeice's pod being destroyed in a space battle. The news traveled quickly and eventually reached the Ginyu Force, because soon after word reached them of Major Ginyu searched for a replacement. Although he wasn't Major Ginyu anymore, as they learned he'd apparently been promoted to Captain.

But it all seemed to be working out for them. Maseselyo's Flazerian forces, and Zarbon's _Galactic Band_ had been making ground in their confrontations with the Ice-jins' forces. Each week Leta learned that more of the Ice-jin territory had been won by the combined forces of the _Galactic Band _and the Flazerian forces. This did disconcert Leta in that two of her once mortal enemies were working against another enemy.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, I suppose," she found herself muttering. But she smiled, nonetheless. For through it all, Earth's location, if not its existence, remained a mystery to the Ice-jins. Her people were safe here, and could live in peace. And neither Zarbon nor Maseselyo knew the location of Earth either; neither did they object to not knowing. There were bigger lizards to fry, after all.

As a month slipped by, and her day to day routine of meeting with the King and his council horde, as well as the scientists, Leta still thought of Turles and Etapa. Their departure was fresh on her mind, because she had not forgotten her promise to Seripa of finding Kakarrot. But with Turles looking, and bound to find him, she felt that it was best left to him. She yearned to take the sky as he had, though. But she, unlike him despite his extraordinary power, was weighted down by responsibility. But as time wore on, she felt her responsibilities lessening.

She was even beginning to contemplate forgoing joining the galactic war effort; however, it was a whimsical, if tempting, notion at best. Maybe someday she could have the peace and quiet she so yearned for, but she was obligated today and tomorrow to the cause of stopping the Ice-jins. Now, more than ever, the universe needed dependable leaders. People unafraid to stand against Cold and his followers were needed to bridge the gaps between the peoples of the universe. Unification was necessary to stop the Ice-jins.

Leta could not abandon the cause, not now. But she could enjoy the peace of Earth for a bit longer. At least until it came time for her to leave.

_**DBZ**_


End file.
